Possessions
by tsukitaiyo
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke were once together but then were suddenly torn appart, Sasuke was welcomed into a warm family life while Naruto was left to suffer, will Sasuke be able to help Naruto escape The Snake? [SasuNaru]
1. Chapter 1

Okay - what to say here - well firstly - **Disclaimer** - I do **not** own Naruto - if I did then why would I be writing about it on a **Fan**Fic site? See, no logical sense there, right?

Anyway - anything in _italics_ will mostly be the characters thinking to themselves (about other people)- also if you are squeamish and dislike such things as self-harm then look away now!! Also there will be some boyxboy action! (mwhahahaha)

So this story is basically about Naruto, Sasuke, Orochimaru…er…Itachi I suppose…Kakashi? And maybe a few other peoples - and a few OC's since I'm bad at remembering names... It's sort of somewhat like the manga/anime since the names are the same and also the general background of the characters lives…I've tweaked some things to make it more interesting.

Eventual pairing - NaruSasu/SasuNaru blah blah blah… (Also a little bit of NaruHina in later chapters)

Chapter One

Another bandage was wrapped around the tender wound. The azure eyes watched from a distance as the brows of his fellow captive knitted together, from both frustration and anger as another one of his attempts had been thwarted.

Kabuto left after making sure to remove the bloody blade from the room, carefully watching the ebony haired boy as he stared narrowly at the ground, those shadow-black eyes held a piercing emptiness, but only anger shone through on his face. Kabuto knew - in a strange way that from looking at those eyes, that even though he still continued to fight hopelessly, that ebony haired boy was just as broken as the other one…the fighting seemed to be only a show, maybe even something as trivial as a routine.

"I'll come and check on you again tomorrow, Sasuke-kun," the silver haired man said calmly, adjusting the spectacles on his nose, continuing out of the room. He walked passed the fair haired boy who stood just aside the doorway, who'd been watching the room. Kabuto said nothing. Only glanced at him sideways, and walked away.

Though, that glance said just as much to Naruto as words, _Make sure it doesn't happen again, Naru-chan…_he could hear it at the back of his mind, his fingers only clung tighter onto the wooden doorframe…Sasuke looked up from the ground, right at Naruto, staring with those blank ebony eyes, and Naruto couldn't stand it. Quickly, he looked away, standing with his back to the wall outside the room.

Sasuke had done it again, hadn't he? But what was the reason this time…? Did he do it because of him? Did Sasuke do it for Naruto again?

Naruto's wide azure eyes were simply wide gaping holes…his breathing was short, his heart thudding in his chest…he simply couldn't escape that feeling…that damned feeling that he was trapped…caged…

Orochimaru was to blame. That man…Naruto despised him, the very thought of him was enough to make Naruto sick…he was also the very same reason why Sasuke dared harm himself, in a desperate attempt to get Orochimaru to leave Naruto alone…to use him as a guinea-pig instead.

With his back against the wall, Naruto gasped swallowing his breath hard. His hands reached up to comfort his sore, bandaged throat, still raw from the injections and screaming from the last experiment. He moaned almost silently, azure eyes clenched shut from the pain…but he would not let the tears fall, not again after so long.

The sound of running feet was heard, over a wooden floor, and arms wrapped around him, holding onto him tightly, a soothing hand upon his back, and Naruto fell into the embrace…he wanted to speak…but he couldn't, again like last time, it would be a few days at the least before he would be able to talk again…

Naruto's fingers clutched onto Sasuke's baggy shirt and held him close, his fingers soon sore from the tight hold, his face pressed wearily into his shoulder. "Naruto…" Sasuke sighed, cradling the smaller looking boy in his arms. "How…how are you feeling…this time?" those dreaded words…he hated to ask them, he didn't want to have to ask them, but he needed to know, even if Naruto would lie to him, those eyes couldn't.

Naruto only shook his head into Sasuke's shoulder, his sore fingers clutching tighter, as if that feeling was the only thing that was keeping him going. "Come on, Naruto…" Sasuke said casually and guided the boy into the room, Naruto not letting go of Sasuke's shirt as they walked to be bed, where Sasuke sat him down after prying his reddened fingers from his clothes. Naruto's blank eyes stared sorrowfully at the ground, hearing Sasuke's footsteps as he headed back towards the door and closed it tight before sitting down next to him on the bed.

The small blonde…Sasuke thought _small_, but Naruto was maybe only half a head shorter than he was, and they were the same age too, but where as stoic Sasuke looked stronger, Naruto seemed frailer and younger, and so thin…_he's been with The Snake longer…that's why he's like that…_He was 'broken', that's what Orochimaru had called it…he'd said, 'Naruto is broken'.

Sasuke gently brushed his fingers over the bandage around Naruto's throat…how many needles now had punctured that soft, tanned flesh in those hours he'd spent attached to that chilling metal table? Naruto had slightly flinched at the contact, but he held strong and did not shun it away, he welcomed Sasuke, he always had, even when they'd first met all those years ago, when Sasuke had been so cold to him, Naruto had not stopped attempting to gain a friend, in the end, maybe he had gained a brother.

Naruto reached over, placing his hand upon Sasuke's bandaged wrist, he could almost feel the hurt seeping out of those cuts and it made him cringe…Sasuke was angry, but he was also hurting, he would hide his pain so well, but like Naruto, their eyes let them down, their faces, showed no sign of it, but their eyes, they showed only the emptiness that Orochimaru had left within them…_how could one person, be the cause of so much pain?_

Sasuke leant closer to Naruto, resting one knee upon the bed as he once again placed his arms around Naruto's neck, and held him close, their cheeks together in the warm embrace…Sasuke noticed that Naruto had not said a word although he usually would have by then…he had guessed that once again due to the experiments, Naruto's voice had abandoned him and would return in a matter of days - as sometimes Sasuke's eyes did to him.

But it was okay that Naruto couldn't speak - no - maybe 'okay' would be the wrong word…but they didn't need to speak to let out their grief and pain.

Naruto, almost carefully wrapped his arms around Sasuke's body. It felt so wonderful and warm against him, so warm, so much nicer than the feeling of that metal table beneath him, much nicer than anything else. His comfort, something that he knew Orochimaru couldn't really take away from him like he could everything else…Sasuke was in the same situation as he was, Orochimaru wouldn't risk disposing either of them - even if it was to spite the other.

They were safe like that.

Pale lips kissed tanned skin or what was exposed of Naruto's throat. Gentle and short kisses, ones that were meant to sooth the blonde's aching spirit as the pieces threatened to entirely shatter. Sasuke's soft kisses brought Naruto ease…he had _someone_, someone who cared and loved him, and that was all that he needed.

Arms held Sasuke close as those pale lips continued to sooth the sore and burning flesh of his throat, as their bodies fell onto the thick duvet, the smooth fabric cool beneath him, but comforting - legs hugged Naruto's narrow waist and the soothing kisses became passionate, moving away from his sore throat and to Naruto's slightly parted lips, pecking gently as he's always done…

Resting his body calmly aside Naruto's, his arms still wrapped around the smaller boy who lay there in silence, arms fallen limp to his sides, eyes dim, and staring half-cast and heavy at the high ceiling. Naruto wished he could turn to Sasuke and tell him how he felt…all that he was feeling and what he was thinking, in a time when a sort of drunken tiredness had over come him, and he felt as if he could tell Sasuke anything with no fear…but he could not speak. The words wouldn't even begin to form.

Sasuke watched Naruto's smooth face, those dead eyes, his chest as it raised and fell beneath his arm. He lay side-long to the smaller boy, his black eyes just watching…torn on the inside…he'd never had to endure like Naruto had. Since Sasuke had arrived when he'd been eight, Naruto had still always had the worst. He was The Snake's pet. Naruto silently rebelled in his mind, _broken_ and ill, yet so beautiful, and usually, even though his eyes shone with pain, that devious foxy grin would plaster his face…but that day…like every other time, Naruto was lost even deeper…and Sasuke knew that he was to blame.

Naruto only ever got that way when _Sasuke_ did something stupid…but Sasuke had done it for Naruto, and as unusual as it was, it had worked. It had taken Kabuto away from Orochimaru, and that meant less torment for Naruto - for a time at least.

Sasuke had heard screaming through the floors that time.

It really had been awful, and they only continued to worsen…Naruto seemed to have come to accept it - it would never end until the day he died…though Sasuke could not - he would not believe that he belonged to The Snake…there was no way that he and Naruto were simply _belongings_… _possessions…no…_but Naruto was broken. _A tool_.

Sasuke hated that word. Tool. But that was also what Orochimaru called them, that they were his experiments, to help him perfect his idiocy and madness so Sasuke thought…so that he could create something that would only be for his own gain…so that he could ruin more lives.

The fact that Sasuke couldn't protect Naruto…that was what got to him the most. It was Naruto who protected him. Naruto who took care of him, made sure that Orochimaru noticed him and not Sasuke, and kept Sasuke out of it…and it worked…tortured Naruto, tormented Kyuubi, it was all the same to Orochimaru, he was simply a tool to be used.

_A god-damned tool_, Sasuke thought, his brows furrowing slightly. Naruto turned his head towards Sasuke, and stared at his furrowed brows on his otherwise unscathed ivory skin, and raised his hand, running soft fingers gently over the creases as if attempting to make them vanish.

Sasuke reached over, holding Naruto tighter, closer to him, with more force than Naruto had expected and caught him off-guard.

"Gomen, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered. Naruto would have inquired…he wasn't apologising about harming himself was he? Naruto couldn't say a word, only held on tighter, wanting to be numbed by that pleasing contact. Naruto hated not being able to speak. "I don't know how, but we won't be here for much longer, Naruto…I promise."

The fair haired boy nodded into his companions shoulder, clutching again onto his shirt, how he desperately wanted to believe and hope in those precious words…how he so deeply wanted to believe in and know that Sasuke would not fail him…Naruto knew in the depths of his broken soul that he would never leave Orochimaru's care…not alive anyway.

Okay! So that's chapter one for you! It's short I know - but I thought I would just give a taster before I continued!

Please tell me what you think - since this is the first one that I've written… and if there are like any mistakes or whatever then let me know! (names mostly)

(Cookies in it for peoples who are nice to me!! - aka REVIEW - if you would be so kind)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - **I do not own Naruto…blah…blah…blah…I wish I did…blah…blah…blah

Eventual pairing - SasuNaru (because there is no competition - they _belong_ together, ne?)

And again I'm sorry about the names - I can't recall what the Sound Village is called so I just said Sound…if u know - please share your wondrous information with me! (there's a cookie in it for you).

**ALSO ZANKU!!** I received 2 reviews and that was 2 more than I thought I would get! You guys know who you are - this chapter is for you!! Let's hope I do not disappoint…

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Chapter Two

In the next week, school started up for them, and so together they left the extravagant household that they could never believe was their home - if anything their prison - and walked to the train station that Kabuto had shown them only a few days ago.

The Snake hadn't been there to see them off that morning. Unimportant matters were usually his department, but that morning it had only been the silver haired medic that had waived them away, neither Sasuke nor Naruto could say that they cared any less.

Sasuke recalled, as they walked side by side, the other schools that they had been to over the past four years - five different schools in that time…Orochimaru never really liked to stick around in one place for too long - just when both he and Naruto were beginning to get used to being where they were, they were moved again. Having to start over in another location - somewhere that was different from the last place they'd lived, yet exactly the same…with no waver in the precious and somehow all important routine.

On the walk to the station and as the train pulled away from the platform, the silence remained between them…although Sasuke wanted to deny it, that silence wasn't awkward or strange, it was normal that little would be spoken between them…what more was there to say? What could be said that had not already been said? _Nothing, there's nothing to be said…_

But, hearing the other people on the train, women rambling on behind them about the new weatherman on their preferred news-station, two boys with a grandmother in the seats across from them, talking about their different toys and about the cake that they had made with their mother on the Sunday passed…Sasuke knew that what they spoke of…it wasn't important - not to him or to others around listening - but at the same time it was important, communication was important, but he and Naruto, they didn't talk - not like they _should_ talk.

If only they could talk about something as common as the weather - as common as food or manga…family…but it would never be like that between them - it couldn't be because they were simply too different, it was out of their knowing world to bring up such thing as the latest political debate…

_Besides_…Sasuke thought to himself…_Naruto's voice still isn't fully healed yet anyway…_Sasuke's little excuse, although he thought that on the surface, underneath his cold exterior and ignorant inner-voice, Sasuke wanted something simple and clueless to pass the lips of the tan skinned boy at his right…he wanted to see emotion in those empty blue eyes, he never had seen emotion in those eyes…_he was already far gone before I'd even arrived…_

Naruto's eyes remained unblinking. No thought seemed to pass through his mind as the scenery swept passed in torrents of greens, greys, blues and browns. No, he wasn't thinking, he was wondering - wondering what freedom felt like. How did it feel not to have any boundaries or restrictions? How did it feel to be surrounded by places that were open to you? How did it feel not to be suffocated and oppressed by The Snake?

He may have been free at one time, but he couldn't remember, that was long ago now and for too long had his life been spiralling downwards instead of climbing up. He would probably loathe it though. Loathe the recollecting of being free, able to see it and feel the memory of it in his mind, but then not being able to understand how it could have ever been so.

Sasuke had known freedom once. He could remember it too, Naruto was sure of it, and that was why Sasuke fought wasn't it? That was partly the reason, anyway. Sasuke remembered what it was like not to have Orochimaru there - he remembered what it felt like not to have needles puncturing skin, he remembered a time when his body didn't burn and ache and throb…a time where he felt like a person rather than a possession.

Family. A real family. Had he even had a _real _family? No - he was certain of that…but Sasuke had once had a real family - Sasuke had told Naruto about them, about his mother and his father and his older brother…then that something bad had happened and Sasuke had ended up with Orochimaru. With Naruto.

_Yes_…Naruto decided inwardly. _It would only hurt more if I could remember a time like that…with a real family and with freedom…_

Family was Orochimaru. Family was Kabuto. Family was Sasuke…_Sasuke…its okay, because I have Sasuke._

His family was a fake one; it always had been a fake one. With Orochimaru at the top, Kabuto his right hand man - maybe he would play the uncle - and then there was Sasuke - his brother…it was all lies, something Naruto made up to help himself not to feel so alone…in reality Naruto was glad that Orochimaru and Kabuto were fake…that his family was a fake - but of Sasuke…of Sasuke Naruto couldn't be more glad.

Sasuke who looked after him. Sasuke who cared for him. Sasuke who loved him…or at least it was the closest thing that Naruto had ever had of love.

Fingers clenched around his own, bringing him out of his thoughts, helping him to realise that his fingers had been coiled tightly around Sasuke's first. Sasuke wasn't actually looking at him; instead his face was turned away, looking over to the windows at the other side of the carriage, his chin balanced in his hand, his hand upon the armrest. Casual.

A ghost of a smile crept deviously over Naruto's lips. That look on Sasuke's face, that attitude, the mask…it was Sasuke…it sounded stupid in Naruto's head too, but that was who he was. He was Uchiha Sasuke, and proud of whom he was, so very proud, although he was rather reluctant to speak about it to anyone, not even Naruto knew all that much about who he'd been before…and honestly wherever they went, no one really cared…they only saw that face.

And Naruto wasn't going to lie to himself about it. Sasuke was the _type_ that girls went for, typical enough. It had been true enough everywhere else they had been, in the other schools since they'd known each other…Sasuke was the brooding, loner type, with ivory skin and sleek black hair and eyes to match, with perfect poise on the outside and the air of mystery hung around him like a bad smell…even at the age of thirteen Sasuke tended to draw more female attention than maybe he could handle…

That ghost of a smile returned to Naruto's lips, but as usual it didn't seem to reach his eyes…but it was _okay_. Naruto was glad that Sasuke was so popular, even if Sasuke didn't decide to bathe in the limelight that was clearly lavished upon him.

Aside from that, both he and Sasuke thought of school as a luxury in life. The work sucked, but Sasuke was intelligent and he often helped Naruto whenever needed…and often the students were cruel to Naruto, but he could cope with that, he was used to such things, it was common, and he would gladly put up with it if it meant he didn't have to go back to Orochimaru for a few hours at least.

Sasuke's view was a little different, considering usually he was coping with fan-girls rather than name-calling, but he overall believed the same…also, it also gave him a chance to be alone with Naruto, on the way there and on the way back - the same way that they were then on the train. The 'in-between' moments when they weren't in school, and weren't confined within The Snake's home.

Soon the train rolled to a halt at their destination…somehow half an hour on a train together with Naruto wasn't enough, neither would the fifteen minute walk be enough…but it was all Sasuke had to be alone with Naruto and truly alone with him…although he couldn't say if that was even what Naruto wanted…but he liked being alone with Naruto, he needed to be there to protect him, and it was only when they were together like that, that Sasuke knew he was safe.

"This is the stop, Naruto." Sasuke said casually, Naruto breaking gazes with the window and turning to look up at Sasuke who'd already left the seat, and was lifting his satchel strap over his shoulder. His fingers had come away from Naruto's, and there he felt a strange sense of nothingness. He wouldn't really be able to take hold of Sasuke's hand all day now.

"Do you have the letter that Kabuto gave us?" Sasuke's question had cut through the silence as they'd left the station. Again Naruto looked up to the almost virtuous face of the boy next to him, and he nodded his head, almost in a defeated sort of way.

"Do you want it?"

Sasuke looked down to Naruto. The boy hadn't said anything to him all morning, hearing his voice was nice, it was soothing; Sasuke had been feeling somewhat anxious to hear him talk. Although what Naruto had said was hardly a conversation starter, it was at least a start.

"Yeah, I'll take it and give it into the headmaster as usual." Came Sasuke's delayed response after he'd collected himself and eyes again fell front.

In the moments that it took for Naruto to remove the bag from his back and take out the envelope, the large modern building that was Sound-High came into view on the horizon. It was about a ten minute walk away now, a long trek through lanes of overgrown trees and high wood walls. Sasuke dared say this would be enjoyable.

"Ne…Sasuke…?" Naruto moved a little closer to Sasuke's side, so that their arms touched, their fingers tauntingly brushing passed one another's, though Naruto kept his eyes on the ground ahead of him, while Sasuke's mapped out the path ahead.

"Hn?" Sasuke's feeble response, almost unable to stop himself from being so blunt, no matter how hard he wanted to talk…he couldn't help himself… he guessed he was as much to blame about their lack of conversation.

"What do you suppose is in those letters?" Naruto questioned, sneakily linking his pinkie finger with Sasuke's. "We get one everywhere we go right…I've always wondered what's in them…"

Sasuke shrugged. "Couldn't say…" he replied, his eyes finally making the journey down to the blonde hair that stood just below eye level to his right. "I suppose it's just something compulsory…or a threat…this is Orochimaru we're talking about after all." Sasuke, believing he'd made a fair point, nodded casually to himself, Naruto nodded too.

"I'd like to think it isn't a threat." Naruto put out.

"It's a threat … you _know_ it is." Sasuke taunted, his famous smirk coming into position upon his lips, feeling Naruto's hand as it intertwined with his own…they were still very much alone, no harm done…

"You just want it to be." Naruto noted, and looked up to see a smirking face staring back at him, and suddenly, he felt all the more better.

"And you just don't want it to be - when in reality - it most probably is…"

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The school was just as Sasuke had imagined it - and just how Naruto had expected. Bland but teaming with life, where students roamed of all shapes and sizes, all with different backgrounds and different faces and hair styles and history…yet even through all of their differences, they all looked the same in the simple black uniform that each of them wore, showing them as students of the same school.

Another mandatory thing. How planned out life was, how perfect everything needed to be in their clearly imperfect world. Sasuke sighed in frustration as he and Naruto in their silence left the head master's office, the Uchiha noting on the way out the slimy look in the man's clearly dishonest eyes. Eyes that reminded him of the gold eyes of The Snake. Sasuke didn't want to think about it.

"This must be it," Sasuke pointed out a simple plain door that looked very much like the others that lined the almost empty corridor. "Homeroom here we come."

Naruto's lips curled into a slight smirk as Sasuke knocked once for politeness-sake before entering, his whole being dressed in that heavenly glow that even Naruto found entrancing. It was safe to say it earned him plenty of looks from broad-eyed Sound-High students. Naruto stepped in obediently behind, closing the door behind him as the teacher - sat neatly as his desk - looked over the class having suddenly noticed the chilling silence that had fallen over his usually filthy-mouthed pupils.

Sasuke tossed an callous glance over his new classmates, one that earned him giggles and sighs from the girls, and something that some-what resembled death-glares from the boys. An over all expected reaction.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto?" the narrow-eyed teacher stood from behind the desk and looked to them both, from Sasuke to Naruto and back again - without knowing which one was which - and in a particularly feminine manner flicked a few strands of silver hair over his shoulder.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto said, keeping his eyes to the ground and Sasuke's hands deepened into his trouser pockets.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke mimicked the presentation, awaiting the sigh that arose from the crowd not moments later. Sasuke noticed the blonde's slight curl of the lip, which made his expressionless face glow somewhat, _Well I'm glad that at least one of us is enjoying this_, Sasuke thought momentarily to himself.

It did end up being typically like any other day. In all honesty - Naruto noticed it had gone far better than what he could have hoped for - for himself at least. It seemed that people left him alone as they would usually do - but that time it was different…he wasn't being called names or picked on - as of yet. So far it had been a good day.

Sasuke had been in most of Naruto's classes, making sure that he sat next to him every chance they got. They often received strange glances from the other students, but Sasuke as usual was indifferent to any looks that he was given by boys and girls alike. Naruto felt that unwelcoming cloud swallow him again, but it wasn't unlike the students to look at him so hatefully - he thought students when he really meant _girls_.

Lunch time went…_smoothly_ - if only that was thanks to Sasuke's death-glare that he only reserved for the most persistent of fan-girls - and Naruto went about eating silently - Sasuke again wishing to find some form of communication. About to open his mouth to speak, Sasuke caught sight of a black form at the corner of his eye, through the window.

"Sasuke?" Naruto noticed the sudden change of attitude in Sasuke, the look in his eyes, the emptiness - something else was there too…"Sasuke? Are you okay?"

Hearing his friend, but unintentionally ignoring him, Sasuke swiftly got onto his feet, black eyes broad as they stared towards the window…_no…it couldn't be…it can't…no…_

Within a moment Sasuke had taken his satchel strap and was running with a lightning speed towards the door. Naruto gasped falling back into his chair as Sasuke had ran off, accidentally knocking him back. Naruto's eyes were broad…what had he seen? "Sasuke…?" Naruto's voice was small and frail; his brows were knitted together slightly - what had just happened? Why had Sasuke done something so terribly out of character?

Pulling himself together, and placing his back-pack over one shoulder, Naruto swiftly made the decision to follow, and headed off into the direction that Sasuke had ran off in…hoping that he would soon find out what had caused Sasuke to act as he had.

Sasuke came to a sudden halt as he stood at the head of the staircase over looking the main grounds ahead of the school. The lunchroom was to his left, that was where he'd seen…where he'd seen…_it's impossible...I…I couldn't have seen him…_although Sasuke knew the improbability of what he had thought he'd seen…of who he'd caught a glimpse of…but none the less he ran into the direction he'd seen him in…

"Sasuke! _Sasuke_!" he heard off behind him, but he continued to run, eyes broad, staring around him - searching for a glimpse of that familiar face…but…_there's no one…he wasn't here…_

"Sasuke-_teme_! What - what did you go and do that for…? You - you got me worried…" Naruto called from behind him, finally catching up, short on breath from the excitement and fretting. Sasuke's shoulders seemed to drop - but none the less he turned around to Naruto and put on one of those 'everything-is-fine' smiles that comforted Naruto slightly.

"Sasuke -,"

"I'm okay, dobe…it was nothing…I just…I just thought I saw…my brother - that's all."

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Psht - how awful was that chapter??

I am soooo very sorry that this chapter really is just so very bad - I mean it's longer than I wanted it to be and _nothing_ happens…it's all just crappy psychological shit…but I promise that from now on it _will_ be _far_ more interesting…(if its not then you may shoot me).

And - just wondering - how many of you guessed it was lovely Mister Uchiha Itachi that Sasuke saw?? (You know before I told you…?) It's obvious I know - but meh - and also - PLEASE REVIEW!

Also just so you know now - I'm a bit Itachi fan-girl - don't ask why - I just am…so there will be a wonderful little twist in this FanFic! (Kukukuku)


	3. Chapter 3

Okay - I've been a bit side tracked recently with school crap and _Branded_ another FanFic I'm doing - it's about vampires!! Woo!

I would do a **Disclaimer** but in all honesty there's no point since it's a **FanFic**…you know - because I'm a **Fan**…?

Anyway, so he's chapter three! And thankies for the reviews!

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Chapter Three

Sasuke hadn't mentioned anything further about seeing his brother to Naruto, but in Naruto's case that was okay, if Sasuke didn't want to talk about then he clearly didn't have to, Naruto wouldn't force him…but the fact that Sasuke thought he'd seen his older brother disturbed Naruto slightly…certainly since he had been told that Sasuke's brother (along with the rest of his family) was dead.

A month had passed since that day, and Sasuke hadn't brought it up again, and as usual they mentioned nothing of it to either Kabuto or The Snake himself, there was nothing that could bring them to doing it - no matter the circumstances.

Sasuke and Naruto went to and from school like they had in any other city they'd lived in. Their talks would be minor and mostly about school work - which gave Sasuke some comfort that there was _some_ normality between them - and that seemed to be where their social status ended.

Sasuke had become rather popular as Naruto had suspected he would, but that time it was different for Naruto, and instead of being bullied, he found that he was usually left alone with his work whenever he found himself in a class where the teacher had not been present - and there was no Sasuke around to protect him. Naruto found some hope in this aspect, that maybe it was going to be okay in Sound. _Maybe._

Going back to the mansion and Orochimaru was a difficult thing to do, but every night now it had become like a routine, and over the first Sunday Sasuke had ventured out when Naruto had been sleeping after another _long session_, and had found another way to and from the train-station, which meant that they could take a longer walk before they'd arrive back. Naruto was glad of this; he could hardly say that he was all too pleased about their short walk home either.

The little things that had happened that week it seemed to show Naruto that things were getting better. Orochimaru had been away a lot, and only that Sunday had he come back to see Naruto again for another session, leaving Kabuto with Sasuke to make sure that the events of the month passed wouldn't occur again.

Naruto was glad that at least for now, Sasuke had vowed to stop cutting himself…and even though Naruto was still faced with so much pain now and again, he knew that he could deal with it - he knew that he could put up with the pain and the experiments as long as he had Sasuke to go back too. As long as he had Sasuke, everything would be okay, because Orochimaru wouldn't separate them; he couldn't - although Naruto couldn't think of anything worse.

Things were going better than usual. Sasuke even thought so - it was mostly because Orochimaru had been away a lot - but he knew that being there at Sound was a little different to all the other places they had been before…he'd even thought he'd seen his brother. Even though Sasuke didn't know what it meant, he knew that now all he had was Naruto, and he would take care of Naruto and do anything he could to make him happy…and Naruto _seemed_ happy…and even though it still didn't really reach his eyes, Naruto was smiling more…and all they would have to do would be to do homework together.

On the Wednesday morning Kabuto had informed them that Orochimaru had gone away again and wouldn't return until the coming Sunday. Sasuke simply nodded with a typical "Hn," as a response, though Naruto's face remained as blank as a slate as he half hid behind Sasuke, gripping unconsciously onto his hand. Sasuke would squeeze back as always, and when they turned to walk away, a smile came to Sasuke's face as he glanced down at Naruto to his right…_that means no more experiments for at least another four days…_

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Much to Naruto's taste, school seemed to drag on that day. Work was difficult and the lessons seemed longer, and he was sure that the teachers didn't like him very much, but that was all good, lunch would be coming up soon, and then afterwards he would have Literature with Sasuke.

As usual he sat at lunch with Sasuke, eating their bento's outside that day, somewhere that Sasuke didn't think he'd be swarmed by girls so that he could have a quiet meal with Naruto…even though - also as usual - they barely said a thing.

The time flew by, but then they had Literature together, and they also sat together, Naruto let Sasuke sit by the window and he sat next to him to stop the fan-girls from getting too out of control before the teacher got there. Soon it started, Naruto got out his books, but Sasuke seemed to be preoccupied with something and was staring out of the window, his face looked blank.

Naruto didn't say anything to Sasuke just then, and allowed him to carry on even as the teacher began to speak. Naruto smiled at Sasuke's lack of discipline, although he could hardly say that he was all too cooperative no matter how hard he tried, it wasn't that he fought back…he just didn't seem to listen.

"_Anno…Sasuke_?" Naruto whispered, the teacher was facing the blackboard and was scribbling something down. He smiled at Sasuke's lack of response; he knew how much the Uchiha really disliked that lesson. "_Psst - Sasuke…_" but still nothing.

Naruto placed his elbow on the desk and forcefully nudged Sasuke's arm, the one that his chin was balanced upon. It fell and Sasuke's head dropped slightly before he turned to Naruto with his eyes still half-cast…"Aa?"

"What are you staring at?" Naruto said, a small smile still upon his lips as he stared up at the 'I'm-seriously-not-assed' face of the Uchiha aside him.

"Mmm, nothing, just thin air, I suppose." Sasuke replied in the same hushed tone that Naruto had been using.

"Oh, something interesting then." Naruto said and stared back down at the open page of his Literature book.

"Mhm…guess you could say that…" Sasuke smiled half-heartily, his black eyes watching Naruto openly as his tanned fingers skimmed over the page of the book, searching for what the teacher was pointing out to them. Sasuke didn't bother with his own copy, just watched Naruto until his hand came to a sudden stop on the page - but it wasn't because he'd found the right place.

Sasuke looked directly to Naruto and saw his blue eyes were broad, his left hand clenched shut as his right hand shook as it hung just above the page. Sasuke's black eyes went broad as he leant closer to Naruto, it was clear from such a distance that Naruto was shaking, and shaking terribly, trembling in fact, his eyes broad and it seemed that his breath was caught in his throat.

"Naruto?" Sasuke whispered with urgency. "Naruto?" Sasuke moved closer and placed his hand over Naruto's, he could see tears as they began to collect in the corners of Naruto's glassy eyes and he knew it for certain that something wasn't right.

Naruto could feel that burning pain rising in his chest once again. It was burning badly that time and right in the middle of a lesson too. His fist remained clenched as his trembling hand hung over the book and his brows creased. He could feel his heart beat racing in his chest, and thudding in his head…he didn't want to cry…but he could hardly hold it back.

"Come on," he could just about hear Sasuke's voice, he could feel the cool touch of Sasuke's hand over his and he knew that Sasuke was taking him out of the class room. His fingers clutched tightly onto Sasuke's school jacket as his arms were around Sasuke's neck. He pressed his face into Sasuke's back hearing annoying yelling coming from behind, knowing that the teacher was calling after them.

Naruto's breathing had hastened and small whimpers passed his lips, his eyes shut tightly, tears running down his face. Sasuke moved on, holding Naruto closely to his back as he ran, ignoring the annoyed yells of the teacher and continued away from the class room. Whatever was wrong with Naruto, Sasuke could guarantee that none of the teachers would be able to help.

Seconds later, once outside, Sasuke lowered Naruto off his back and leant him against a tree. He quickly turned back to Naruto who latched onto him and buried his head into Sasuke's chest, whitened fingers not about to let go of Sasuke's jacket. Sasuke was quick to wrap his arms around Naruto as he whimpered and cried in pain into his chest, and the amount of pain that Naruto was in was clear to Sasuke…he hadn't seen Naruto cry for years.

His arms remained firmly around Naruto, hoping that it would just pass, but the longer that Sasuke sat there with him, the anger burning within him, the more and more he knew that he needed to get Naruto back to the mansion…that Kabuto may know what was happening, that he may be able to stop it.

Sasuke then made the decision. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the cell-phone that he'd been given just encase of such emergencies. He looked down at it for a few moments and then back to the shaking creature he held against him, and how violently he was shaking…trying to fight back the tears and the pain, and Sasuke knew that he had no other option.

He held the device to his ear after selecting the number and listened to it ring before a voice sounded on the other side.

"Well, well…I never thought that you'd be man enough to actually ask for my help, Sasuke-kun." Kabuto sounded abnormally smug with himself from the other side. Sasuke scowled and his grip around the silver device tightened.

"Just get here…Naru…Naruto…he's -,"

"Got it. I'll be right there, wait for me around front."

Sasuke put the cell back into his jacket pocket after he'd hung up. He held onto Naruto, and once again found the strength to lift the boy onto his back. Naruto continued to cling and didn't let go, and Sasuke carried him to the front of the school, and hid around the entrance where he waited with Naruto in the trees for the big black car that would show up momentarily…and sure enough, ten minutes later - there it was.

Kabuto stepped out and Sasuke wasted no time in rushing over with Naruto. Kabuto took one look at Naruto and showed Sasuke to take him into the back of the car, though once inside Kabuto took out a syringe from the briefcase he'd brought along with him, and much to Sasuke's distaste pressed the metal into Naruto's neck, releasing the liquid into Naruto's blood stream.

"What did you -,"

"It's a sedative…look, see he's calming down." And sure enough he was. His whitened fingers let go of Sasuke and he was carefully lowered down onto the back seat, out cold within an instant. Sasuke looked over Naruto's suddenly peaceful form and the anger boiled within him…how could something like this happen? They'd gotten rid of The Snake for a few days and now what happened…Sasuke was _not_ pleased.

With his fists clenched he turned at the smug medic as he was packing away the syringe and pulled out his own cell phone. Sasuke was about to open his mouth to scream at the asshole, but Kabuto's words stopped him.

"Go back into school, Sasuke-kun, and come home at the regular time."

"But - what about Naruto?!" Sasuke protested. "I won't -,"

"You will. Do as you are told. Go back into school and finish the day. Naruto will still be asleep when you get back…I shan't touch him." Kabuto may have been slime, but his eyes, they told Sasuke that he meant what he was saying. Sasuke - filled with uncertainty - looked back over Naruto's motionless body as it lay across the back seat, and looked at the remnants of tears upon his paled cheeks and quickly glared at Kabuto.

"Go, Sasuke-kun."

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The rest of the day seemed empty without Naruto.

People seemed to eye him oddly in the corridors and he knew that words of his actions had reached the ears of the students, but he could hardly care less, all he could think about was Naruto.

He'd never seen Naruto like that before. He'd heard some horrible things, he knew how much pain Naruto was in whenever he saw him, but nothing like that, not in the years that they'd been together had Sasuke witnessed such a thing…and he hoped that he would never have to again.

The walk to the train station wasn't the same without Naruto, it was strange that he wasn't there, that Sasuke found himself alone once again, separated from the person that meant most to him in the world, and that pain hurt as much as anything.

He dawdled along, he didn't know why though, the sooner he got there the sooner he could see Naruto, but his legs wouldn't carry him much faster, he was too distracted by his thoughts…he could barely concentrate on where he was going.

It wasn't long before Sasuke's shoulder collided with a tall passer by. Sasuke didn't take heed of whom he had hit, only mumbled a half-hearted, "Excuse me," and walked on…but upon hearing the response…

"You seem preoccupied, Sasuke."

Sasuke stopped where he was, his eyes wide for a moment staring ahead of him…almost too scared to turn around. His hand that clutched onto the strap of Naruto's back-pack tightened, and he trembled slightly…he knew that voice.

"Aniki…" Sasuke whispered to himself, still uncertain whether he should turn around or not.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

Sasuke turned around quickly, and there he stood. Of course he was taller, and his hair was longer than Sasuke remembered, but there was no doubt about it…it was him, it was Itachi.

Sasuke's fingers uncoiled from around the back-pack and it dropped to the ground as Sasuke - without another moment pause - ran at his brother and threw his arms around him, pressing his face against his chest.

Itachi looked down at his brother and a small almost invisible smile came to his lips as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke…he'd barely changed since the last time they'd seen each other…he was taller and maybe a little under-weight but he still looked like Sasuke, his little brother.

"Aniki - how? How? I don't…I don't understand…I thought -,"

"Its okay, Sasuke. You don't need to understand." Itachi replied soothingly, able to feel Sasuke's fingers as they clutched onto the back of his coat. "How have you been?"

Sasuke shook his head into his brother's chest…_no way, no fucking way…this can't be happening - it can't be…why now? _

"Sasuke?"

"I'm okay…" Sasuke made a point of saying; his brows furrowed as he pulled himself away from his brother, and stared up at him, almost angrily. Itachi looked down at his brother, at his eyes, and knew that wasn't the type of greeting that he'd expected.

"I really am okay…" Sasuke said again, his brows still furrowed. That look could not reassure Itachi, but his face remained stern and blank, just like Sasuke remembered.

"Where - where have you been all this time? I mean - where were you? Why was I told that you'd died…?" Sasuke mind was filled not only by questions but the urge to actually run away, this confusion was unbearable, though he could hardly understand what was so confusing…

Itachi looked slightly away, Sasuke caught the sudden flare of pain in his brother's eyes, but he held his ground and waited for the answers.

"I've been here and there, looking for you. Orochimaru…he moves around a lot, it made it difficult for me to keep track of you…I didn't actually think I would get to see you again for a lot longer." There was a distant look in Itachi's eyes, one that Sasuke didn't really recognise, one that told Sasuke that Itachi had been through a lot since that night…

"It's a long story, Sasuke." Itachi put in. "Come on, lets go, we'll talk about it later." Itachi reached forward to take Sasuke by the arm, but hearing those words Sasuke pulled himself away and shook his head. Itachi lowered his arm and stared at his brother blankly. "Sasuke?"

"No - no I can't go with you…I can't…" Sasuke shook his head, backing away. His foot hit Naruto's back-pack and within moments Sasuke held it again. "I…can't leave Naruto…if I go…" Sasuke shook his head, a firmer look on his face this time.

How could such an opportunity befall him now? Now of all times? Why not yesterday when Naruto had been with him - why then? Itachi almost looked distraught but he seemed to contain it well as he had always done…Itachi hadn't really changed very much had he? Sasuke couldn't get Naruto out of his head - he couldn't get out of his head what Orochimaru might to do Naruto without him around…_no! I can't leave him! I won't! I won't!_

"Uzumaki, Naruto." Itachi said. Sasuke looked up; that tone was almost robotic…how much did Itachi actually know?

"Itachi…not now - when Naruto gets better…when he starts coming back to school…please…I can't leave him…" Sasuke practically begged…_why the Hell is this happening? Why is he here? Naruto…_

"Aa…Orochimaru is planning on leaving here again within a week, Sasuke, to a city called Suna. I can't meet you there, but if the week is out and Naruto still hasn't come then there's nothing I can do."

"Huh? Itachi?" Sasuke shook his head…_what the Hell is this? How does he know all of that?_ "Wait? The Snake is going to move us again? So soon?"

"Aa." Was Itachi's simple answer.

"Wait - Itachi - what's going on?" Sasuke wondered.

"It's a long story, Sasuke. If I sound urgent then I'm sorry, you should get going if you're not coming with me, you'll miss the train." Itachi replied…he sounded so…detached…_what happened to him?_

"Aniki -?" Sasuke took a step forward, he stopped as he caught sight of a tall, looming figure dressed in black at the far end of the lane…he watched them, Sasuke watched back…this guy looked strange, his skin looked like it was a pale shade of blue, he must have been seeing things.

"Gomen, Sasuke." Itachi said looking back to his brother. "I'll be here for the rest of the week; if he's not with you by the last then we'll have to talk."

Sasuke couldn't really understand it, he was confused. Why was Itachi acting like that? Who was that guy in black that was watching them? How did Itachi know all of that about Orochimaru? How much did he really know?

"Be safe until then, okay. Don't do anything irrational." And he began to walk away, leaving Sasuke stood there, wide eyed and confused.

"_Irra…tional…_?" Sasuke said quietly to himself. And like that Itachi had gone just as quickly as he had arrived. And he'd walked off with that man…Sasuke watched with wide eyes for a few moments longer…_did that even happen…?_

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Hmmmm, Itachi's rather strange, huh? Well I think he is…it wasn't intentional; actually he was rather difficult to write…

Hope I didn't disappoint anyone! Yeah, so Sasuke is a good friend - surprise! Mwhahahaha couldn't make him leave Naru-chan now could I?

Review my pretties! Review! Let me know what your minds think! Let me know!!


	4. Chapter 4

So this must be chapter 4, ne?

Yes, let's stick with chapter 4 - because in all honesty I know its 4…just a bit slow today and can't be bothered to back-space…

Thank-you loads for the reviews! They really do mean a lot… (Although I really wouldn't mind more…you know…keep me happy…so I write more…) and thanks to those who took the time to write to me and tell me how wonderful it was!! You guys mean a lot to me! Big Hugs!

On with the story!! (Also this one is a bit depressing, and some seriously creepy/perverted Orochimaru-ness…so I apologise now…if anyone cries…I'd consider it good writing…so let me know if you do… (insert evil laughter here)…

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Chapter Four

Sasuke looked up at the large building ahead of him.

A place he could call a prison…one that only minutes ago his brother had told him he could leave…yet for a certain blonde dobe, Sasuke had decided to go back…but he couldn't seem to escape the nagging, sinking and sort of haunting feeling that swam through him that all wasn't suddenly about to go so smoothly anymore. He couldn't be that lucky.

It was already bad enough luck that Naruto had been unwell and had to leave, otherwise the both of them would have already been gone…and the idea of it, it even made Sasuke's lip twitch into a overjoyed smirk. A genuine one. Not one that showed he was _okay_, a _real_ smirk. It made him shiver…and shiver in a good way.

He pushed open the door, not for one second letting go of Naruto's back-pack, and slipped off his shoes, lining them neatly against the other three pairs that were there…_Wait…_ Sasuke looked back. _Three pairs? Three?_

"You're late, Sasuke-kun." The voice hissed, and suddenly the shiver was no longer good anymore…that shiver almost made him want to puke.

Obsidian eyes turned upon a tall, looming figure that stood rigid to the foot of the stairs, eyeing him cautiously with glowing, golden orbs, and a stern, unhappy expression. One that Sasuke immediately connected with the same look of discontent he had whenever something went wrong with Naruto's…_sessions…_

Sasuke really did feel sick to his stomach. The Snake was back - and so soon.

"I got held back by a teacher. Then I missed the train I usually catch and had to wait for the next one." Sasuke's skills at lying had been perfected by then, though the first part had been a lie, the second had not…though he had been set back slightly…just not by a teacher.

Orochimaru seemingly slithered eerily over the wooden floor and came to stand ahead of Sasuke who stared up at him with the same look of indifference, that same famous blankness, a glare ready in those ebony eyes if need be (and there was usually a _need be_ when either Orochimaru or Kabuto were involved).

Orochimaru leant closer to Sasuke, who remained as rigid as his oppressor had been as he'd stood at the foot of the stairs. The Snake's long black hair felt smooth against his cheek, he could feel white hands as they ran teasingly through his hair, but he remained unmoving. He didn't even cringe as he felt _that_ tongue against his earlobe, his balled fists held the shudder at bay, and remembering that he still held Naruto's back-pack…which reminded him of Naruto (not like he really needed to be reminded).

"That's good, Sasuke-kun." Hissed The Snake, his lips still hovering at Sasuke's ear, his fingers clutching tightly onto the back of Sasuke's hair, almost tugging, but the stoic boy bit his tongue and held back the urge to seriously do some damage, something Naruto had told him many a time he'd fought back the urge to do so…but Naruto didn't talk like that much anymore.

"I'm sure that you're eager to go and see Naru-chan." Sasuke didn't reply, though he felt the fingers uncoiling from his hair, but those chilling lips were still at his ear, he could feel the cold breath against his skin, it made all of the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "He's in his room, he'll be awake shortly."

The Snake stood away from Sasuke and turned his back to the inwardly unnerved boy. Sasuke gave Orochimaru one last glance before looking towards the staircase and headed towards it. Half way up, he was stopped by a hissing voice that called after him, almost so casual it was sickly…

"Oh, and Sasuke-kun…I'd like for us to have a session tonight…since Naruto is unavailable." Sasuke couldn't help but shudder that time after hearing that horrid, cruel laugh. A laugh that only existed to haunt him and Naruto. A laugh he knew would never leave him - for life.

He didn't say anything, only continued on up the stairs and towards where Naruto was, ever step that he took closer to the room Sasuke felt relieved, he knew that his one and only most important person was near by, and he would be together with him soon. It just didn't feel right being apart from him.

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Naruto was still a little groggy when he sat up in the bed. His head was thumping, Kabuto had told him that would stop in a while, and left him only moments ago after leaving some pills and a glass of water on the bedside cabinet for him to take in about an hour or so.

Naruto felt awful, but in all honesty he could barely remember what took place from the time when the pain in his chest had begun until he'd woken up there, hours later…and there was no Sasuke. It was empty without him. _Very empty. _

Feeling sore all over, like he'd just been through another one of his sessions with The Snake, Naruto sat forward in the bed, his blank eyes staring thoughtlessly down at the white sheets that covered him, feeling the cruel smoothness of the duvet beneath his fingers, and wondered when Sasuke would be back. Naruto wasn't sure what time it was, he didn't have a watch and usually counted on Sasuke to tell him, so he didn't know if Sasuke should be back yet or not…but by the looks of it outside, he was either on his way or -

The door opened smoothly to his left. Naruto's sluggish joints tediously turned him in the direction of the door, his eyes widening and brightening as they settled upon Sasuke, his pale face warming at the sight of a smirking Uchiha as he entered the room, clutching onto the strap of his back-pack.

"Hey, dobe." Sasuke said half-heatedly as he walked over to the bed after shutting the door. He placed the back-pack down by the desk and continued over to a pale Naruto. He still seemed slightly shaken…yet Sasuke even had his doubts that Naruto could remember what happened, and his suspicions of this were correct.

Naruto put on a fake pout at the mention of that much disliked word. Sasuke's smirk was still upon his lips, his dark eyes looking over Naruto's feeble form as he sat limply within the bed that seemed to large for him. Sasuke ignored the putt out lip and sat on the side of the bed, his fingers tracing delicately over the back of Naruto's hand.

"You doing alright?" Sasuke wondered, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to look at Naruto in the eyes, no matter how much seeing those azure orbs entranced him, he couldn't do it…not after recalling the tears, all of that pain that Sasuke knew that he had to remember…it sounded stupid. He knew that it happened, all of that pain was sometimes daily for Naruto…and he tolerated it and put up with it like it was nothing…yet when Sasuke was faced with Naruto in pain he was useless, he couldn't do anything, he felt awful and he couldn't handle it…he didn't want it to be real, but there was no way that he could escape that…it wouldn't be possible, he would _always_ remember.

"Mhm, I'm fine…" Naruto said with his usual broad _everything-is-okay_ grin. He saw that look on Sasuke's face and he didn't like it. It was a look of fear, and something that somehow frightened him, it was distant and made Naruto feel slightly left out. His brows furrowed slightly, in worry more than anything…though he loved the feeling of Sasuke's fingers as they ran in circles over the back of his hand. It felt soothing.

"You…you gave me a fright…today." The words seemed to be seeping out with difficulty from Sasuke's mouth; his brows too were knitted together, at his own stupid fears, as he allowed his fingers to coil around Naruto's, and unbeknownst to him he squeezed harder than he'd intended… Naruto only squeezed back.

At the squeeze he finally looked up and saw that distant look in Naruto's eyes, and those dim azure eyes that stared at him, filled with sadness and fear, and also worry. Worry for Sasuke.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke…I…didn't mean to -,"

Sasuke launched towards Naruto and wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, his fingers holding onto the golden strands of his hair, but not hard enough for it to hurt…he would _never_ hurt Naruto. Sasuke pressed the side of his face to Naruto's, feeling the heat of the other boy's flesh against his as Naruto's arms finally settled upon his back, holding him weakly, his body still sluggish.

"_Don't_, Naruto." Sasuke whispered. "Just _don't_." Naruto didn't know what he meant, but felt Sasuke's arms tighten around him and he simply held the usually conserved boy back. That was somehow unusual for Sasuke…or at least the way that he was acting was rather than his actions.

"I…didn't mean to -,"

"No, it wasn't you…its not your fault…it never is…"

"Sasuke -?"

"I wish I could tell you that I'll never let him touch you again…I wish I could tell you that everything was going to be okay soon…but…I…" Sasuke paused for a moment. "One day…" Naruto suddenly ran through with sadness at the mentions of the impossible, his fingers clutching onto the back of Sasuke's black school jacket. "I'm so sorry, Naruto."

"It's…not your fault either, Sasuke." Naruto reminded him. Sasuke heard the words and he pondered over them…Orochimaru did a lot of things just to spite them…and what if…_what if The Snake does this to Naruto because he knows that's how to get to me?_ The once so promising thoughts of Itachi were now out of his mind…somehow, the sound of running away was wrong. It was Orochimaru they were talking about, and already he was back in town…they wouldn't be able to get away with much anymore, hardly nothing, no matter whatever the Hell Itachi and that blue-skinned guy were up to.

Sasuke held Naruto tighter. He wanted them to get away then, to find Itachi and just get away. But running away, that wasn't even an option. If it was _that_ simple they would have done it a while ago.

"Sasuke?"

"I know, Naruto. But still. I'm sorry…sorry that you have to go through this alone."

Naruto laughed slightly at this, catching Sasuke off-guard. "I'm not alone." Naruto stated simply. "As long as I have my precious person, I can and will put up with anything." They came apart, and there was that much loved fox-grin that Sasuke knew Naruto so well for, those strange scars either side of his otherwise smooth face scrunching up at he looked at Sasuke with somewhat cheerful eyes…Naruto was a frighteningly good actor.

Sasuke cherished what Naruto had said, he was glad that Naruto was so strong, that he lived by such a thing…but that wasn't the point. The point was that neither he and _certainly not _Naruto should _have _to put up with that type of abuse. It simply _shouldn't _be happening. Sasuke was aware of that much at least. He couldn't care less that Naruto could put up wit it…_he_ _shouldn't even have to_.

Yet Sasuke admired Naruto for his bravery. He endured so much more than Sasuke could imagine, and although he thought about it all the time…he knew that he wasn't as strong as Naruto…that if their roles were switched (which he'd prefer) he wouldn't have been able to cope - precious person or no - he probably would have killed himself.

No, there wasn't even a _probably_. He _would have_ killed himself.

"I'm going to go get you some food, okay?" Sasuke said as he pulled his arms away from the smaller boy. Naruto smiled at him. That fake yet somehow wonderful smile, and Sasuke gently pressed his lips to Naruto's forehead, relishing at the momentary contact.

Naruto nodded. "Okay." And he watched Sasuke leave.

With Itachi's face plaguing his mind, Sasuke rummaged through the kitchen, his brows furrowed, clearly preoccupied. The appearance of his brother had been the happiest thing to happen to him in years, and yet he found himself filled with doubt and he knew that some harder times were ahead. The fact that Itachi had shown up like he had…not only was he not the Itachi that Sasuke remembered him to be, but he was something more, he was more than Sasuke's brother now, wasn't he?

Sasuke wondered why he hadn't immediately mentioned it to Naruto as they had seen each other…but he realised that he had his own reasons, they may have been subconscious but they made sense. He didn't want Naruto to feel pressured in anyway to have to come back to school, he didn't want Naruto to feel bad that Sasuke hadn't already taken the opportunity to leave because Naruto wasn't with him…and if Naruto wasn't with him at the end of the week, Sasuke would not leave him.

Naruto either went with him or he would never find out about the meeting between Sasuke and his brother…they would wait for a few more years maybe before Itachi could figure something else out…Itachi wasn't one to give up, he would rest in the shadow's observing for a while, but he would never truly give up.

That just meant that Sasuke would have to watch Naruto suffer for a few more years…the thought of it made his heart wrench in his chest. He never wanted that to happen. He wanted it to stop, he'd wanted that for a very long time now, but it couldn't be so, could it. What Sasuke wanted and what could be done, they were two completely different things, and both so painfully clear to Sasuke. He was well aware of his boundaries and his limitations, Orochimaru liked to remind him.

Food was soon available to Naruto, and Sasuke had solidly decided against saying anything to Naruto about seeing Itachi, it would be easier that way. He re-entered the bedroom with a tray and a bowl of Naruto's favourite kind of ramen, only to look up and find that they had been joined by Kabuto, who was talking quietly with the distraught looking boy.

Sasuke felt his grip tighten on the tray and his jaw hardened as his teeth grinded together. He watched them - no he glared at Kabuto, his obsidian eyes shooting kunai at him, demanding with his mind, inwardly ordering to know the reason for the intrusion. Kabuto took one look at Sasuke as he was talking with Naruto, took in the death-glare and smirked, standing away from the bed.

"I'll be back a little later on, Naru-chan. Take care of him Sasuke-kun; he'll be out of school for at least two weeks at the rate that he's going unless you treat him well."

_Two weeks?_

"Aa." Sasuke growled, glaring at Kabuto as he left the room, making sure that the medic shut the door behind him, before he turned his head back to Naruto, after hearing what he thought was a slight snigger. "Naruto?"

"Your face looks the best when you do that, Sasuke." Naruto smiled half-heartedly. Sasuke nodded his head, feeling slightly foolish and placed the tray on the bedside cabinet.

"Here, I brought some miso. It's the instant kind, there wasn't much else there." Sasuke told him, watching Naruto's face and that comforting fake smile. But Naruto didn't look at Sasuke; instead he looked down at the sheets ahead of him. Sasuke knew that look of guilt, a look that he often saw upon his own face. One that he hated seeing on Naruto's.

"Thank-you, Sasuke." Naruto said, but he found it hard to say. His hands balled as they gripped onto the sheets. Kabuto had told him something he would rather not have known…he wondered if Sasuke already knew.

"What did four-eyes want?" Sasuke said, almost bitterly as he took his place at the foot of the bed, crossing his legs ahead of him. Naruto had anticipated this question to be sure, but did he really want to say anything? He was going to find out, or he already knew…but somehow Naruto didn't want to be the barer of bad news…especially since he was the reason for it.

"What did Kabuto say to you, Naruto?" the worry wasn't apparent in Sasuke's voice, he usually did his best to hide most emotion from his face and voice - in fact both of them were quite skilled at it - yet Naruto knew that annoyed appearance to be one of concern, maybe one of fear.

"He…" Naruto began, unable to stop himself. He didn't want to hide anything away from Sasuke. "He told me…he said that because…because I'm not well…that Orochimaru would be seeing…you tonight…" He couldn't look up at Sasuke, he didn't want to have to gaze up at that hurtfully blank face and know what he was feeling without seeing it on his face.

"Aa. I know." Sasuke replied, slightly relieved that it hadn't been something worse. Naruto looked towards him, eyes broad.

"So you knew already?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"But - but, Sasuke - he…its different - what he does -,"

"Naruto." Sasuke said firmly at his friends worried stuttering. He looked towards him and put on that _its_ _okay_ smile, his eyebrows angled apologetically. "It's okay. It's nothing worse than what you have to go through…" He looked away again. "Take this time and rest up, don't worry about me, seriously, I can hold my ground."

"But, Sasuke…" Naruto's voice had quietened, his eyebrows angled much like how Sasuke's had been moments earlier. "I…I don't want…I don't want him to touch you…not like that…"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto wide-eyed. He didn't even know that Naruto knew what now went on between him and Orochimaru now that he was no good for experiments. No doubt Kabuto had told him. How much did Naruto know?

Sasuke felt even more disgusted with himself than usual. The fact that Naruto was none the wiser, that was what kept him sane before, he'd go through it, knowing that it was _okay_ as long as Naruto never found out…as long as Naruto thought they were in the same boat. Sasuke suddenly felt the urge to withdraw; he uncrossed his legs and brought them up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, his chin resting atop. He didn't look towards Naruto; he looked down towards the ground. He hadn't felt so disgusted in what felt like forever.

Naruto watched Sasuke as he seemed to try and distance himself. He couldn't know what Sasuke had been through…he couldn't know what he was still going through or what he had been thinking in not telling him…how he'd been so strong as to hide it away from Naruto for so long. Five months - that's when Sasuke's proper experiments had stopped, Orochimaru had even _celebrated _it by marking Sasuke with a tomoe on his higher left shoulder…Naruto could remember the look on Sasuke's face that night, his shoulder burning with whatever chemicals Orochimaru had pocked into him while creating that unnerving black mark. It must have been after then that the other type of abuse begun.

Naruto wouldn't lie. He didn't know very much about that type of abuse, in fact he knew very little, but since he'd found out a few days back he'd been horrified by his thoughts and what thoughts may be running through Sasuke's head…things that Sasuke had gone through that Naruto couldn't understand.

Orochimaru really would do _anything_ just to make them miserable.

The tension between them became thicker, but Naruto didn't want to leave the matter where it was. He wanted Sasuke to talk about it, he knew that talking was supposed to help, though it was mostly something they did very little of, since both of them knew from experience what the other was going through…but not anymore.

Sasuke tried not to think much about it. It never really got very far, those _sessions_ were created to scar him mentally more than anything, the things that Orochimaru would tell him as well as make him do, they were enough to make anyone sick…but Sasuke's blank face gave him the perfect mask, and he would wear it thickly whenever such events took place.

But he had never wanted Naruto to know.

Hearing Naruto shuffling towards him, Sasuke couldn't bare it, he couldn't bare his touch, not then, and with one liquid motion was off the bed and heading towards the door. He honestly had nothing to say… yet he didn't want to leave Naruto either, but that silence, it wasn't an _okay_ silence...it was awkward and tense and Sasuke didn't like it.

Again Naruto watched Sasuke as he left; wanting to call after him, but it pained him to move to much, his fingers just brushing passed the collar of his jacket as he moved away. Sasuke didn't look back at him as he headed towards the doorway, but he did speak. He said, "Get some more sleep, Naruto…I'll see you in the morning." And was gone, shutting the door behind him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Once outside Naruto's room, Sasuke struggled to keep himself from falling to his knees, he was shaking, and shaking rather violently, his whole body trembled. It was something more than fear.

His cold bed awaited him when he entered his room. The sheets were crisp against his skin; the window had been left open since yesterday, resting against the bars on the outside that kept him prisoner. He looked to the window and decided to keep it open before he went into the bathroom that was attached to his room.

He undressed, and his whole body continued to tremble, even as the steamy water hit him, running down the pale flesh of his carefully scarred body. If there was anything that Orochimaru didn't like it was a visibly damaged toy, and _visibly damaged_ was something that Sasuke was not.

Accept for those nasty little scars that adorned his wrists, ones that Orochimaru relished at punishing Sasuke for. Scars that Orochimaru certainly wasn't happy about…but that was why Sasuke loved them so much. His little rebellion, something that made Orochimaru angry, and Sasuke liked seeing The Snake angry or even annoyed, it made him feel slightly better about things. But it was seldom that they ever saw Orochimaru in such a state.

He had never really been afraid of those _sessions_ before. Disturbed and disgusted, but not really afraid…but now Naruto knew. Something else for Naruto to feel guilty for and Sasuke didn't want that…Orochimaru knew so much, he knew how to get to them so well, he knew how to break them…but Sasuke, he wasn't broken, he wasn't a toy - he _wasn't_ a possession.

No matter what Orochimaru did he would never be broken and he would continue to fight. Naruto had lost that fire a while ago it seemed. Maybe he'd even grown up like that…Sasuke hadn't the heart to ask Naruto about things that happened before he'd arrived. Sasuke didn't even know if Naruto had been alone before he'd come along, and if not - what had happened to the other one?

Sasuke didn't want to know. He'd shrouded away from his past and Naruto hadn't really inquired about it, so for some reason Sasuke had never thought to ask Naruto about his past…but he _knew_ Naruto, he knew him well enough.

Naruto was someone that Sasuke couldn't easily get out of his head. Naruto was someone who had suffered something that he couldn't really understand, though he did have his own share of tragedies…ones that lead him to Orochimaru and Kabuto. Ones that lead him to Naruto.

His reflection in the steamed up glass seemed hideously pale, his cheeks seemed hollow, his eyes staring blankly at that picture of himself, and he had to restrain himself from throwing his fist towards it in a fit of rage.

He was totally useless. Or at least that was how he felt…that was how Orochimaru made him feel. The only way he could really be of any use was keeping Orochimaru away from Naruto, and before that had meant experiments and injections and being blinded for a few days…but it was all worth it as long as Naruto was okay. And even now, the things that The Snake had him doing, they were worse that the experiments but not in the painful way.

Sasuke knew this was more than just sexual abuse. It was mental torture. He did it to Sasuke to mess up his head…and then after a while, he went ahead and got Kabuto to notify Naruto of the new kind of _treatment_ that Sasuke was receiving. He did this to hurt the both of them. He told Naruto so that he would feel guilty and so that he would feel slightly abandoned, and he did it to Sasuke so that he could feel even more disgusted and disturbed. He did it so that Sasuke would get angry.

Sasuke was angry. Sasuke was very, very angry. Angrier than he had been in a long time.

_I'm not his damn toy…I'm not his damn, fucking toy! That bastard! Who the fuck does he think he is?! How can he possibly think that he's going to get away with forever!? I'm not anyone's toy! I don't belong to him…I don't…_

The words circled in Sasuke's head, slumped down onto the ground, sitting on the white tiled floor as he listened to those words, his face a true picture of misery…and Itachi was almost completely forgotten, he couldn't save them. He couldn't save the both of them.

With the towel around his wait, Sasuke slid himself over towards the bath and rested up against it as his head slumped forwards, water dripping from the tips of his ebony hair as it draped over his eyes. How could things have gotten so bad?

Maybe he was broken? Maybe, deep down inside he had given up and he was only working off a memory, his thoughts making him think as if he was rebelling when in fact, he actually did nothing at all. He sat there, he looked defeated, and everything pointed towards it, that maybe The Snake had actually broken him? Maybe he'd been broken for a while?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

That blank look, his empty eyes, they remained with him until later on that night, when The Snake had requested that he come and join him. Sasuke had gone, escorted by Kabuto, neither of them saying a thing to one another until Sasuke was let into the bedroom.

Orochimaru was sat at his desk when Sasuke entered, his blank eyes hadn't even noted where he was, let alone who he was with…_I am broken…aren't I…_ it was a depressing truth, not a question. Even as he heard The Snake slither towards him, able to _hear_ the smirk and that quiet yet cruel laugh.

His body tensed as he felt cold white fingers against his throat, running attentively along his jaw line. Sasuke looked into those golden eyes, those bizarre snake-like eyes that had gotten away with tormenting him in his sleep for a few years, and he shivered.

Big mistake.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru whispered, an evil laugh in his voice. "I thought that you enjoyed our time together?" his lips were at Sasuke's ear, the boy clenched his jaw shut as he felt the older man's body press against him as he was backing away, soon hitting a wall. He felt that tongue as it tasted his earlobe, slimy and unlike any normal tongue as it _slithered_ along his jaw-line. His head rested back against the wall, eyes looking up into those gold ones as The Snake's hair fell around them.

"I thought you liked to spend time alone with me?"

Sasuke said nothing, still gazing blankly. He'd not flinched or cringed in a long time, not since the first night it had begun…and yet there he was, in such a similar situation as he had been then, backed against a wall, The Snake's body pressed against his own… such a similar situation, yet so different.

The unfortunately familiar tongue suddenly forced itself passed Sasuke's lips, almost suffocating him, his eyes broadened and that feeling of total and utter disgust flood through him as his fists balled against the wall, feeling himself being shoved harder against it. His chin caught between The Snake's thumb and fingers he was unable to move his face away, that tongue sliding around inside of his mouth, his breathing hastening and shortening…but The Snake seemed fine, enjoying it, in fact.

Sasuke wanted to _bite_ that tongue.

He wanted to bite down so hard that the blood would fill his mouth and the damned _thing_ would scream in pain. Sasuke wanted to be able to spit that damned tongue at its owner and punch him so hard in the face…he wanted to hear Orochimaru scream, wanted to see him squirm…but the sick truth was, that if Sasuke did bite down, Orochimaru would most likely _enjoy_ it.

When Orochimaru did pull away for breath, it wasn't near long enough, and moments later that tongue was back again, as forceful as ever, as hands touched and clawed at Sasuke's body, wanting to remove those clothes from his toy. Sasuke, unable to breathe, still held his ground; he wouldn't aid The Snake in anyway.

Then Sasuke did something that he didn't know he had it in him to do. _One last try_.

With his right hand balled powerfully into a tight fist, he pulled it back as far as he could, Orochimaru's fingers fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, and with one whip of his arm, and a large crack, his fist collided with The Snake's jaw, and sent him fumbling backwards, away from Sasuke.

His fist throbbing, Sasuke's dazed, suffocated mind made him light headed. He dropped to his knees, breathing harshly, but quickly realised what he'd done and quickly struggled to get back onto his shaky legs. He'd not looked to see where Orochimaru was or even if he'd fallen, he only knew that he wasn't atop of him anymore.

His arm reaching out for the door handle, his mind thinking for the moment instead of for the future, fingers just about gripped onto it, but two powerful arms lunged at him, and grabbed him from behind, yanking him hard backwards. Then he heard that laugh again, that horrible, cruel laugh that he knew too well.

His chest was rising and falling heavily, he struggled awkwardly against the unusually powerful arms that held him, the laughing in his ear. Orochimaru licked the blood away from his lip. He would admit that the punch had surprised him; he thought he'd long had Sasuke under his thumb. He held a struggling Sasuke against his chest as he loomed over him, not about to let go, no matter how the oxygen-starved boy fought against it. He continued to chuckle. This was rebelling different, and he liked it.

"Now, now Sasuke-kun…" he hissed, leaving one arm to hold the boy around the waist while the other tugged on the back of Sasuke's shirt collar and dragged it down, revealing a smooth and unmarred back, along with that nice little tomoe that Orochimaru had placed there himself…_the day that you really became my toy, Sasuke-kun. My useless, little, broken toy_…

"I was going to go easy on you tonight…but you've blown out that flicker of kindness in me, and provoked something more…" Orochimaru ran his tongue down Sasuke's throat, and his fanged teeth bit down hard into the flesh were the black tomoe was.

Much to Orochimaru's delight, Sasuke whimpered, and whimpered rather loudly, eyes clenching shut as the blood wet The Snake's lips, and ran down Sasuke's back. He may not have been as special as Naruto in Orochimaru's mind, but he sure came in handy for amusement of pretty much any kind, and all so suddenly the amusement for the night had changed…Orochimaru wouldn't let Sasuke get away with that one.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto lay awake that night, listening to Sasuke's screams.

He was being beaten; Naruto knew that, something Orochimaru never usually did…but that was what was happening. Sasuke was being punished, and punished heavily for something…he had probably stood up for himself.

Naruto was too weak to move, he wanted so much to go to Sasuke's aid, yet when he had woken his body enough to be able to get out of bed, he got to the door, only to find that he had been locked in. He knocked on the door for a while, calling for Sasuke…knowing he was only a few doors away, his heart was breaking…how could he have let Sasuke walk away without saying anything?

Naruto wanted to go to Sasuke's aid. He wanted so badly to be there, take the beatings with him, but he was useless, he could do nothing that would be able to save Sasuke, he wouldn't be able to help him… he couldn't do anything.

No matter how hard he hit the door, no matter how long he cried out for Sasuke, nothing came of it, Kabuto didn't even bother coming along with his syringes to sedate him…nothing, he wasn't even worthy of a reaction.

All night he sat at his bedroom door, just listening, hoping that Sasuke was okay, hoping with all of his shattered heart that Sasuke was alright…he knew that he couldn't be…he knew that Orochimaru was ruthless, that he did everything with precision and a picture in mind…Sasuke _wasn't_ going to be _okay_ when Naruto would see him next.

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Two nights later, Sasuke woke up.

Groggy at first, he allowed his blood shot eyes to search tiredly around him. He couldn't move his body, it felt heavy and sore, his head was throbbing and he could hardly keep himself awake…if not for the sound of soft breathing beside him, Sasuke would have drifted back to unconsciousness.

He turned his head to look aside, able then to feel the warmth of the body as it pressed gently against him, fingers intertwined with his own, arm clinging onto his, even in sleep. Naruto looked peaceful as he lay there beside him upon the sheets.

Sasuke remembered what happened. He could remember why he was in pain, why his face was sore and why his right arm was broken and in a cast. He could remember what he'd done and what he'd said and how Orochimaru had reacted, and he could remember all that Orochimaru had said to him, and all that he had told him about what he planned on doing to Naruto…

Sasuke didn't want to remember.

He looked blankly at Naruto's sleeping face a little longer. Watching the smaller boy with more sadness in his eyes than there had been for longer than Orochimaru had liked…the eyes of a broken toy. Empty, never really seeing the truth just accepting. Sasuke didn't want to accept, but he did and would all the same…or Naruto would pay for it…

Naruto stirred slightly in his light sleep, Sasuke continued to watch him, saying nothing…he only wanted to get up off that bed and crawl into the corner, to shut everything out, shut it all out, to distance himself from Naruto…to make it harder for him to be hurt…but he couldn't do it. He wouldn't move, but Naruto woke up all the same.

His tired azure eyes settled upon Sasuke's black ones as they looked emptily upon him. Naruto was worried for a moment, those eyes, they did not look like living eyes, they looked dead. But he calmed as Sasuke blinked, and smiled apologetically, his brows raised slightly as his lips curled into a small smile.

"Ohayo, Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, feeling Sasuke's fingers as they clenched around his own.

"O…Ohayo, Naruto…" Sasuke's voice was hoarse; his throat dry after his long night's sleep. He still gazed upon Naruto expressionless, but he was glad that Naruto was there, none the less. Seeing Naruto's face, no matter how much pain he felt in his mind, it comforted his heart.

"I've missed you."

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That had to be my favourite chapter yet.

It was mildly disturbing, enough to make my best-friend cry (she's sensitive like that), and I honestly _hate _Orochimaru for what he did to Suki-chan! But it had to be done…

There's some more disturbing stuff happening in the next chapter. Yes folks it gets worse! Get ready for some Naruto-ness! Let us all feel sorry for them both and be glad that it's not happening to us since Orochimaru-sama isn't actually real…(at least lets hope he's not…shudder)

Please read and review for me! This chapter took me forever to write because I kept on stopping and starting. It wasn't supposed to end this way, but it got longer and more stuff started to happen. In fact, what happens in the next chapter was supposed to happen in this one!

Let me know what you think!!


	5. Chapter 5

Here we go again, Chapter Five…

Sorry it took so long to update, please enjoy!

_I don't freaking own - 'kay?_

**Big thanks to my reviewers!!**

**cookies and cake for all!!!**

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Chapter Five

"_He plans on leaving us, Naruto-kun." Naruto remained stock still as the words of The Snake bit deep into his thoughts. He watched Sasuke's still form in the bed, able to feel Orochimaru's fingers as they dug down onto his shoulders. _

"_He hasn't told you, has he? He plans on leaving us…he plans on leaving you, to go somewhere to be with his family…aren't you happy for him, Naruto-kun? Aren't you happy for Sasuke-kun?"_

_Naruto's dead eyes only watched Sasuke's heavily breathing form, able to feel The Snake's arms wrapping around him from behind as if he was attempting to comfort him. Naruto could not bring himself to move. He couldn't bring himself to do anything, nothing…As he watched Sasuke's immobile form, he felt so alone even then '…he couldn't…no, Sasuke wouldn't leave me…'_

"_Aren't you happy for him?" Orochimaru whispered again. _

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Am I happy for him…?"

These words had circled Naruto's mind for the whole two nights that Sasuke had been unconscious in that bed. He'd had a lot of time to think. Sitting there at Sasuke's side, wondering…_hoping_ that Orochimaru was lying to him.

_Sasuke would never leave me…he wouldn't…_

"Naruto? Are you okay?"

Naruto looked away from the spot on the floor that he had been glaring it and turned to the ebony haired boy who stood just through the doorway, looking a little groggy still, but ready none the less to go to school as Orochimaru had insisted. Naruto saw the part of the cast that was on Sasuke's arm, just visible beneath the sleeve of his school jacket.

Naruto nodded, looking upon Sasuke fully in the eyes, watching him, trying to read him. But Sasuke's face had never seemed so blank before. Naruto had never seen him that way, never. "I'm fine," Naruto reassured him, though the throbbing pain was still there in his chest, along with the fresh and even more vicious pain that stabbed at his heart.

"How about you?" It was a simple enough question, but Naruto looked upon Sasuke with eyes that could kill. The sadness. The misery. The pain. It had never been so visible before, Naruto could never remember it so badly as that before…it had become too much of routine to be anything else, to be anything more. But there was a pain swelling deep within his chest, and it hurt so very badly.

Sasuke shrugged, he was still unusually pale, his left eye was slightly bloodshot and he had a few scrapes visible upon his face and the back of his hands, but considering it had only been two nights ago that the whole thing had taken place, Sasuke looked pretty good. And that was because of Kabuto, he may have been one of the worst people in the world, with maybe no morals as far as either Naruto or Sasuke were concerned, but he was a brilliant medic, no matter how much they loathed him.

"Ne, Sasuke…?" Naruto looked away from Sasuke, down at the sheets that his hands held captive, his pain filled eyes just looking at the white. Sasuke walked over towards Naruto who was back in that bed again. Sasuke's aching body seemed to prefer it more when he moved anyway, it hurt more to remain still, he stood at the side of Naruto's bed and looked over him.

"What is it, Naruto?" his voice was still small compared to what Naruto was used to, but he guessed that he couldn't blame Sasuke, although it was unusual that he was the quieter one after such situations.

"Remember…when you promised…that one day, you would get us out of here…" Naruto began nervously, feeling so filled with doubt that it was beginning to cloud his mind. He didn't want to look up to Sasuke; he couldn't bring himself to do so.

Sasuke looked away from Naruto and at the wall, avoiding eye contact as well. "I remember."

Naruto sat further forwards and his shoulders seemed to drop.

"I know that you won't let me down, Sasuke."

Naruto couldn't help it, he had to say something. He had to say it. This seemed to spark something within Sasuke; he turned to glance back at Naruto only to see that the boy hadn't moved from how he was sat. Sasuke felt he should smile, but he honestly couldn't bring himself to doing so, he hadn't the heart to, not while he was drowning in guilt.

"Aa." Sasuke nodded, and placing his left hand into his trouser pocket, he headed towards the door; not looking back at Naruto who he knew hadn't looked at him either. Then -,

"Sasuke," Naruto's fearful eyes looked up at Sasuke who's stopped at the doorway, his back still held to Naruto.

"Sasuke, I love you."

Sasuke's eyes broadened as he stared out of the door. Motionless.

…_I'm sorry that I can't protect you, Naruto…I wish I were stronger…I wish I had all the courage that you do…I honestly can't deserve your affection…_

Sasuke left without uttering a word.

Something snapped within Naruto.

His glassy eyes watched the doorway as it shut, Sasuke _leaving_ yet again. Sasuke going away without saying a word of comfort, without reassuring Naruto…without saying one damned thing.

Something snapped within Naruto.

Something within him at that moment had been somehow ripped from him and he couldn't recall the last time that he'd felt like that. He last time he'd felt such misery or such loneliness…_I still have Sasuke_… but why did it hurt when he thought that? Was it because he didn't believe it? Was it because he thought it was a lie? Was it because he believed what Orochimaru had told him?

_No. Orochimaru lies. He lies. He does it all the time, he tells us lies to tare us apart. He lies, he always, always lies. Always._

"Always."

Within the time that it took for Naruto to get his body out of the bed, he sat at the barred window, his hands against the glass as he sat upon the cushioned sill, and Sasuke was there, _walking away_.

He could only remember him walking away. He thought back to the past few days…_he's just been walking away…just leaving…but I know he'll come back to me…he'll come back because he promised me…he promised he get us out of here…he promised me…and…and he knows that without him…without him…I…_

"Did you say your goodbyes, Naruto-kun?" came the voice of The Snake. Naruto hadn't heard the door open, nor did he react when he'd head the voice behind him. His eyes only looked out of the window, his hands upon the glass, he didn't say a word. "Because as I've promised you…he won't be coming back."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto waited at the window all day.

The broken pieces of his soul cracking further with every passing moment, that gaping wound within his heart only growing larger with every minute that passed by, the sound of the ticking clock was against him, the time was going too quickly, too quickly…his hopes, how hard did he hope that Orochimaru had once again lied…how many times had he whispered Sasuke's name, begging him to come back?

How much longer would it be before Naruto were to find out if Sasuke would return or not? Naruto just sat there, the time was going by too fast…and before he had realised it, it was coming to the minutes before Sasuke was to return…

No one came back to the house that night.

Sasuke did not return.

Tears did not fall from Naruto's eyes as the hours past. Rather he remained as he was. Motionless, fixated to the glass. Waiting.

"He promised me…" Naruto whispered, it was little more than a murmur. "He promised me…He promised…"

Emptiness filled him, smothering him came a sudden darkness, and he could feel it, along with the pain that was stabbing at his heart, Naruto could feel himself drowning in complete misery…

"I don't have…anyone…I don't have anyone to live for…he…left me…" His whispers, they were slow, they were empty yet overflowed with despair, as if a huge piece of himself had been ripped out, he felt as if he were simply dying at such a painful realisation…that not only had Sasuke lied to him…not only had Sasuke broken his promise…that Orochimaru had also told him to truth…and that too hurt just as much as anything.

"_I don't want too…_" Naruto whispered, his body falling down from the window ledge, landing upon his knees upon the ground, azure eyes empty yet glassy as his body seemed to work of its own accord, bringing him to his feet rather sluggishly. "_I don't want to go through this…anymore…not alone…not alone…_"

The reflection in the mirror, it stared back at him almost as if he wasn't even there.

Naruto just looked at himself, the cold water numbing his hands as it ran from the faucet. He couldn't even feel it…but he could feel the fear rising within him, fear not only of his loneliness, but fear that he may never find another like Sasuke…but did he really believe it? Did he really believe that Sasuke was gone?

No. He didn't _want_ to believe it…but Sasuke would never have gone for so long….and Orochimaru…_he wouldn't have said it…no he wouldn't have told me that unless is were true…not something that would affect me so much…_

A warm tear cascaded down Naruto's paling cheek. He hadn't cried for a reason like that before…not that kind of hurt. He'd been hurt before, many times before, but never for that reason…it felt like a sort of betrayal…or what Naruto thought it felt like to be betrayed…or maybe it was that he felt like he'd been abandoned. Yes. _Abandoned._

Abandoned for a second time. But it hadn't hurt as much the first time. The first time Naruto had been much younger…he hadn't realised what he'd had, that even though the first person to leave him hadn't spoken much or heed him much attention, they had helped each other…then suddenly he was gone, Orochimaru was furious and then a few hours later Sasuke appeared all bloody and bruised.

He didn't want to go through it all again. Not again. But could he do it? Could he really do it?

The mirror was smashed, his knuckles bleeding, and before he knew it, sitting on his knees, tears falling down his cheeks, Naruto held a shard of the mirror tightly in one hand, blood dripped all over that white floor.

Blood just dripped for a time. The pain in his bleeding hands…it took his mind off a few things, his teary eyes stared down at a sight that he was pretty accustomed too, the crimson on the white. Sasuke's face came to mind…the stupid things that Sasuke did to get Orochimaru to pay him attention…or rather - to draw attention away from Naruto.

His palling body shivered slightly. His body still so weak, his chest throbbing, his heart, though, the pain there it was deeper than anything else. He wouldn't be able to see Sasuke again now, would he?

No. Not since Sasuke was free. He couldn't. He couldn't bring Sasuke back to Orochimaru…_I should be happy for him, shouldn't I? Shouldn't I be glad that he's found a way out…? Yes…I should be happy for him…but that hurts too…he left me…am I always going to be left behind?_

"_There goes another one, Naruto-kun,"_ _Orochimaru patted Naruto on the head as they stood at the orphanage door. "They left you behind again, didn't they? Those adults…they didn't want you…but I want you. I won't leave you…I'll never leave you…"_

_He didn't lie about that either, did he…_ Naruto thought back. All of the lies that he'd been fed. All of the promises of happiness and how they were all taken away from him. Anything that ever made him feel a slight happiness…taken away, or he was taken away from it. Orochimaru had moved him around for years…the experiments only beginning once Naruto had turned six. For the two years before Orochimaru had treated Naruto _decently_. He hadn't been around a lot before he was six, he worked for a rather secretive organisation or so Kabuto had said…but something happened…then they started moving around, _a lot_, and for a year or so that was how it was. As the experiments had been going on, Orochimaru brought someone else to the house one night, and maybe that went on until Naruto was eight.

He remembered again the night the older boy had left. The night that Sasuke had shown up... _Sasuke…_

Naruto knew exactly what he wanted to do.

The crimson pooled around his drooped arms, his face pressed against the tile floor, tears falling down his cheeks as they stared almost emptily at the long gashes that he had made along his inner lower arm…they were long and deep and numbing. On both arms, almost reaching up as far as his inner elbow…it had been a strange sensation, something soothing washing over his mind as he couldn't move his arms anymore, just watched the crimson as it poured out of the wounds painlessly and effortlessly.

He wondered if he would see his real parents where he was going…if they would be there, waiting for him…he had an image of them in his head, two figures with open arms, silhouetted, a bright white light surrounding them…

But Sasuke's face appeared ahead of his eyes. And brought the pain rushing back to him, searing throughout his momentarily numbed body, and all over again he couldn't stand the pain that he felt in his heart.

The pool of blood began to lick at strands of his hair when the pain in his heart and mind was too intense to stand, even as he began o black out, Sasuke's face was ahead of mind, Sasuke's smile and the hope that there had once been…those painful and final words.

_Unrequited love?_

Naruto broke that hours long silence. He screamed, and screamed until he could only hear his voice in his head telling him that it would all be over soon, just wait a little longer and it wouldn't have to go any further and Sasuke would be forgotten, and Sasuke would be safe…

"_Naruto-kun…? Naruto-kun!"_

Naruto knew that voice, but it wasn't a voice that he liked hearing…so he ignored it, tasting the blood against his lips.

He wouldn't take the abuse anymore, or the hurt of hoping.

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I ended that rather badly - I think….hmmm….

Was supposed to be more miserable and angst-y but it didn't work out that way…

Okay, really not much to say aside from hope you enjoyed and **please** read and review! Also I won't really be able to update on either this one or _Branded_ for a while maybe - exams are coming up soon…sucks but that's life…

Again - please enjoy! And let me know what you all think!


	6. Chapter 6

Yeah, so shoot me, I left the last chapter on a bit of a cliffy…mwahahahaha…but yeah, here is where it concludes…

Sorry for the lack of updates, but exams are damned stressful!

Anyway, don't own, bleh…anyway, hope you enjoy and don't kill me!

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Chapter Six

It was seven o'clock.

She glanced down at the red numbers of the digital clock that was on the stove, and smirked a cat like smirk before her narrowed hazel eyes turned towards the hallway. From the kitchen the young woman looked up the stairs…waiting any minute now to hear the alarm clock going off. She'd rigged it the night before when the owner of the room had come trudging in at two o'clock in the morning…

She'd not been best pleased when she'd watched him _attempt_ to sneak in through the back door. She'd actually watched him walk passed as she sat eating her early-morning-craving cream cheese and ice-cream sandwich. She'd been satisfying the 'baby's needs' (as she liked to call it) and as she watched him _sneak _by quietly - and she'd give him credit, if she hadn't have been sitting _right there_ she wouldn't have noticed…but he hadn't noticed her - which was unusual for him…

So naturally she'd come to the conclusion that he was either drunk or stoned. Or both. Which one way or another, wouldn't be something that she couldn't handle.

So she'd set his alarm for 7 o'clock, see how he took it, and if he didn't get out of bed, then she would have to go and wake him up then wouldn't she?

She liked that idea better.

Somehow she knew that the alarm clock wouldn't wake him…her hazel eyes narrowed…his alarm clock sounded throughout the quiet house, the only other sound was the boiling over the stove…then it was suddenly dead…no, it sounded like it had choked to death…which meant one of two things…

Either he had woken up and broken it, once again…or…that he hadn't woken up and had broken it subconsciously…which was the more likely of the two…

She paused and contemplated…and steadily removed the apron and patted her swollen abdomen with a smirk… "Time to wake him up, aka-chan…" the devious smirk kept with her as she crept with spectacular stealth for a young woman carrying such a large weight…she made sure to step over all of the creaky floorboards on the upstairs landing…heading slowly and steadily towards the one closed door at the far end of the hallway.

She appeared ahead of the door within an instant…hazel eyes once again running over the_ 'Enter and you'll seriously wish you hadn't'_ sign and smirked…hand reaching out for the handle, ready to turn it to let her and aka-chan inside…

Blackness greeted her on the other side along with the faint scent of teenager…yes, according to her they had a scent, or at least this one did, and it wasn't too bad, she'd smelt worse…her narrowed eyes scanned the danger zone, and stepped in, standing over books and neglected school work…even though it was a new term, and summer had ended, she was surprised that he was yet to do his homework…yes, he _did_ usually do his homework being the straight A student that he was…but she brushed it off…one way or another the homework would get done, even if she had to lock him in his room -_ again_.

There was the bed, and smashed over the floor something that could barely be described as an alarm clock. She sighed…_there's plenty more where that came from, right, aka-chan?_ He had the deep blue sheets over his head, curled in his usual ball and cutely hugging the pillow against his chest. Aw, how she loved that brat, no matter how annoying he could be or how much he whined or how much taller than her he got, he managed to be so damn cute that it would drive her insane. Yeah, she loved the kid, and she would prove that love by being a good friend and waking him up for school.

"Wouldn't want him to be late now, would we?" she whispered to herself…appearing at the side of his bed. Taking a deep breath able to hear his gentle breathing beneath the sheets, she readied herself.

"_TIME FOR SCHOOL, SUKI-CHAN! Get up! Get up! Get up!"_

Being as loud as she could have managed, she yanked back the sheets to revel him, still wearing his jeans from the night before.

Black eyes had opened as the sudden chill hit his white skin, and within an instant he was sitting up in bed, and cowering away from the sudden light that was flood into his room as an all too familiar figure practically tore open his curtains.

"…_Hazuki-chan_…" he moaned with a glare as he tugged the sheets back over his slightly muscled torso, curling his body back into a ball.

"_Sasuke! _Get that damn ass outta bed! Come on! Up! Up! Up!" she ripped the sheets away and threw them aside. The slightly dazed boy dropped his head back into the pillow and groaned in annoyance, feeling a finger as it prodded his shoulder.

"Go away…" he mumbled into the pillow.

"No, get outta bed! Come on! Your brother has already left, and so you have to walk to school! Now if ya don't get outta bed now, Suki-chan, then you'll be late for school!"

Hazuki made herself useful, humming as she went merrily around the posters-for-wallpaper room, and finding the handles of the closet, opened it, throwing random parts of his school uniform towards him.

Sasuke half raised his head from the pillow in a deadly glare before sitting back as a fresh shirt hit him in the face, he yelped, it was cold against his skin. "Hazuki-chan…what about _my_ car?"

"What about it?" She questioned, closing the closet and heading towards a pile of clean socks and underwear that she had left on his desk chair for him to put away (although he clearly hadn't), and threw a pair of socks and fresh boxers his way.

"Well," Sasuke begun, putting his feet over the bed, feeling the affects of five hour sleep…complete with nightmares… "It's _my_ car for a reason." He replied.

"Well _I'm_ gonna use it today! Aka-chan and I are going to go shopping! Isn't that right, aka-chan?" she rubbed her swollen abdomen with pride, her face glowing so brightly that Sasuke felt the desperate need to go and hide in the corner.

"Now! No more of your complaining, Suki-chan!" She demanded in the nicest way possible, that almost creepy smile over her small heart-shaped face. A smile that told Sasuke…_one foot out of line, and you'll regret it…_he remained silent looking around him at the clothes that she had thrown in his direction.

"I expect you downstairs in 20 minutes! I'll have breakfast ready for you, then you can head off! Okay?" It wasn't a question.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in response before fighting against a large yawn, finding himself stretching as he brought himself to his feet, towering a good several inches above Hazuki.

"Good! Now go get dressed!"

And she was gone.

Sasuke dropped his shoulders but yawned once more, tears collecting at the sides of his eyes. Running his fingers through his hair Sasuke decided on a speedy shower - which indeed was speedy - and set off to change into his school uniform…and sighed.

Since he's started at Konoha High things had been like that, except Hazuki had shown up three years ago, she hadn't been around for the first two years - well at least not like she was now - and things had been a little too strange…no, things were still far too strange…

He looked at his reflection in the mirror, filled with hatred for himself, and resentment whenever he glanced at his brother. What had happened had taken place _five_ years ago…and things would never be the same…yet deep within himself Sasuke had always hoped that he would go back to that place and there he would be, waiting for him…

He held so much guilt and so much regret. He hated his brother for what he had done in tearing him away from the most important person in his world…and even after those five years, no matter how much life had become true life to him, Sasuke would never think of anyone else as the most important person to him.

Naruto remained there, always. That wide, fake grin that would make him feel better, those deep azure eyes and the warmth of his skin, the golden shades of his hair. No, Sasuke would never meet anyone better than Naruto, or anyone who would ever replace him.

He had been drowning his ocean of guilt for those years now. Naruto's face haunted him, and if there was one thing that Sasuke could never bring himself to do, and that was to _forget _him. It wasn't possible. It made his heart break whenever he thought of Naruto…whenever he thought of what could have happened to him, where The Snake could have moved him away too, it only made the gaping hole deeper…how Itachi could have done such a thing…he would have been happier to stay with Naruto, no matter what more he had to put up with.

His face held no sign of this. In fact his face nor his eyes, they held no trace of emotion, they hadn't for years…a rare smirk a favourable glare. That was all there was to Sasuke now, otherwise he would ignore the world as much as he could.

Hazuki was setting out the breakfast plates as Sasuke came down, dropping his school bag near the front door, he entered the kitchen as Hazuki was serving. She hummed her usual chirpy tune as Sasuke took his seat, blank eyes stared down at the breakfast ahead of him and once more he yawned. Hazuki took a glance at him and reached over with her free hand to ruffle up his hair. Sasuke attempted to shoo her away, but she seemed to make a task out of it, sticking out her bottom lip as she lowered the plates onto the table and stood behind him.

"When are you going to grow out your hair like your aniki's?" She questioned, messing it all up, noticing that his ebony tresses now reached his shoulders…she'd not seen it so long before.

"Never." Sasuke replied sternly, shooing her away again, though failing once more.

"I dunno, Suki-chan. I think it would suite you." She prompted. "You're already so pretty, imagine what long hair would do!" excitedly she grinned and kissed the top of his head gently.

A vein popped in Sasuke's forehead. "_Pretty_?" he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Of course pretty, silly! Not prettier than _me _of course, but that's fine!" she grinned broadly, looking over his hair once more. "You don't style it anymore either…hmmm…maybe you should get it cut then?"

"Hn," Sasuke finally managed to get her to back away and reached for the chopsticks that had been left out so that he could begin on the breakfast. Hazuki sat across from him, hazel eyes showing him that she was in deep contemplation. Sasuke glanced at her momentarily, though said nothing, and with his brows slightly furrowed, though more than hidden beneath his ebony bangs, he looked back to his food…_her conversations are so unimportant…how does she do it? How can she make a conversation out of something like my hair…I could never do that…_

"Come now, Suki-chan! You're gonna be an uncle soon; you might as well look the part! I want to you be the _perfect_ uncle! You have to look prettier than you already do! Yes! Can't have my aka-chan growing up around a messy teenager!" her resolve truly was a solid one. Sasuke knew that he hadn't heard the last of it.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from calling me _pretty_, Hazuki-chan…" Sasuke growled in the nicest way possible, eyes gently shut.

"_What? Why?_" she sounded completely mortified, holding her hands to her breast as she stared upon him teary eyed. "But…but, Suki-chan! The porcelain skin, the clear complexion, the toned body, the silky hair! You can't be anything aside from _pretty_! Maybe gorgeous, but that's more your aniki's territory right now…maybe when you're a little older…?"

"Aa…" Sasuke mumbled. "I'm going…thanks for breakfast." He had hardly touched his meal, but Hazuki had grown used to Sasuke's habits by then, even if they weren't so good for his health, she respected that he had been through something hard…as from what she'd heard from Itachi.

"Okie-dokie! Have a nice day, Suki-chan! Don't get into any trouble! And be _happy_! It's the first day of term! And that nice Sakura girl will be waiting to see you!" she waived him off as he put on his shoes and lifted his satchel strap over his shoulder.

"She had to mention Sakura…" he whispered to himself as he came out onto the street, leaving Hazuki waiving from the doorway. How she could be so bright and cheerful all the time, Sasuke could never put a finger on it…but he supposed that no matter how annoying or controlling she was, she was a nice person, and he liked her…even if she was making a huge mistake by marrying his brother…

…_Well at least she knows how to keep aniki on a tight leash…_

Nothing different about that day. It was all the same as it had been before the summer…slow mornings, slower days and even slower nights…Sasuke found that his existence truly didn't expand beyond a living-corpse…no matter how little he socialised or how much he socialised it brought him nowhere taught him nothing and didn't give him any sort of escape…the only hobby he had would be attempting to kick his brother's ass during his tai-jutsu lessons…that and going to gigs and drinking…yeah…he liked drinking…it numbed everything…

The train was full that morning…Sasuke stood near the window, looking over the head of a red-haired woman as she had her nose buried in a book, it was written in English, a book of collective short stories…he sighed and looked towards his feet…waiting for it.

The giggling girls didn't start up until the fourth stop that morning, which was better than usual or better than the previous years anyway. Tugging of sleeves and accidentally falling against him was next in line, the train was so crowded that they would most likely get away with it too…but Sasuke would ignore them, all of them, not even bothering to make eye-contact with such annoying creatures.

His stop would be soon anyway…or at least in five minutes he would get there, but that would seem like an age to him, certainly when he allowed his mind to wonder. And wonder it did, avoiding the larger concept of life that at times would seem unbearable…but he wouldn't give it up, not since Naruto was suffering…if only he could have found him…but all of times that he had searched behind his brother's back…it all lead to nothing. The house had been empty when he'd gotten there, locked up and no Naruto in sight…no word of Orochimaru for five whole years.

He was seventeen now. But did it really feel like five years ago that he had last set eyes upon Naruto? He could remember so clearly the last moments he had spent with him…what he should have said to him but for some reason didn't…he felt awful for not saying anything in return, at the time it had hurt, but then, after all that time, after what had happened, it hurt even more.

Naruto had never left his mind. He could never forget, and yet again that night he'd been plagued by it, haunted by those ghosts of the past, and he knew that he could never let it go. He really was drowning in it all…and no matter how many shrinks his brother had sent him too over the years, it had never released the burden that hung over him like a storm cloud…maybe it would have helped if he had spoken to someone about it…no…he knew it wouldn't have made any difference…the only reason he was living was for Naruto's sake…he wouldn't give up while Naruto had no means of escape…

The walk from the train station was like any other. Summer had been long and boring, although half the time he'd been drunk and couldn't care less where he slept for the night…but that was over now…back to the old routine…school, school, school and putting up with fan-girls…

"What an exciting concept…" Sasuke sighed, the gates off ahead, students gathering around and greeting friends they hadn't seen over the holiday… Sasuke passed by the group of boys he usually hid among and wondered closer to the school, hoping to avoid as much contact from other students as possible…but then again, there would always be at least _one_ that would bother him…that morning it was none other than-,

"Sasuke-kun!" He rolled his eyes, recognising the voice at once as the bouncy, curvy figure appeared ahead of him from nowhere. "Ohayo, Sasuke-kun! Did you have a nice holiday? I missed seeing you."

Sasuke ignored her and continued onwards towards the main entrance, Ino suddenly getting lost in the crowd, calling his name. He would hide in the form-room for then…wait until everyone had finished their hello's and gather together in that room for registration to begin…then it would be classes, then lunch, then more classes and home…

Then he'd have to put up with Hazuki until Itachi got home from work…

He sighed, dropping his head down onto the desk and crossed his arms behind his head. At least he'd looked forward to spending time with Naruto before…even if they barely spoke…the silence, it had been so comfortable…he missed that as much as anything…

It was only ten minutes later that, that much loved or maybe hated silence was broken. The classroom door slid open and in entered a girl with delicate pink hair, natural or not it suited her fair skin and striking green eyes. She smiled as she saw Sasuke sat at the back of the classroom, and closed the door behind her.

Sasuke had heard her enter…he could head the '_CHA!'_ of her 'inner-voice' from where he sat. He grumbled and rolled his eyes, shuffling slightly closer to the window.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun," she said with a little bit more subtly than Ino had spoken. She sat at the desk that was ahead of his and put her backpack aside, turning to look towards him, a smile apparent upon her face. She hadn't expected him to reply. "I hope you had a good summer…I heard from Kiba a few minutes ago that you went to that gig last night…I hope you didn't stay too late…or else you'd be really tired…" her half-hearted smile was warming, but Sasuke seemed to be ignoring her, which wasn't entirely unusual for him.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun…you feeling okay?" she questioned, catching a glimpse of his so-much-paler-than-usual face…noticing a new piercing in his left ear, a little silver hoop half way up…she'd seen him two days ago and hadn't noticed it…she clicked back to the matter at hand, and calmly awaited a reply.

"Aa…" followed a few moments later. She smiled, a little satisfied, trying to find something else to say…try and get him in a conversation…not like that would ever happen, but it was at least worth the try.

_Think, Sakura, think…AH! Got it!_

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, I heard that there was a new kid starting today, transferring over from Suna High…remember the Suna? We kicked their buts in basketball last season? Yeah well, he's in our year…I haven't seen him yet, but he's supposedly foreign looking…"

"Hn…" Sasuke replied. Sakura continued.

"Ino - as you do when you're Ino - said that he's a bit miserable looking, a little blank…but that was Ino…so what would she know? Yeah…so…ne…Sasuke?" she continued a little nervously.

"Aa." Again was the response.

"Cheer up, okay…? I'm sure whatever you're worrying about…it isn't as bad as it seems…"

Sasuke gave a small, bitter laugh. "Speak for yourself." He answered shortly.

Sakura dropped her shoulders and turned ahead as the class began to fill with the other students. She watched the front of the class as Hyuuga, Hinata entered the class room, narrowly followed by her not-so-secret admirer Inuzuka, Kiba. The blushing girl went to greet Sakura but the class was cut off from most of its social activities as their form teacher entered, demanding that they all be seated and fall silent.

Sasuke paid no heed to the 'welcome-back' speech that had passed Iruka-sensei's lips, and the small giggles and laughs that had risen from the students around him didn't provoke his curiosity in the least. He simply listened to the sound of his heartbeat, able to hear it thudding away in his head…but then, just as he was about to turn to make himself more comfortable, he heard Iruka-sensei as he introduced the new student…

"Okay then, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

"My name is Uzumaki, Naruto."

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So, what did you people think?

I know that bit at the end was a little bit obvious but there was no other way that I could put it in there…that I could think of at least, I just wanted to get to the point so that the story could go on.

How do you people like Hazuki-chan? Itachi's fiancé? Ha! I figured that the only woman that would marry Itachi would be one that _he_ would be too afraid to dump…so yeah, I love Hazuki, my own creation…I needed some niceness and I thought it would be funny, add a little fun to this so very depressing FanFic…

Tell me what you thought! And if I should cut Sasuke's hair or not…should I keep it long? I dunno, it just sounds hot…anyway, press that button!

You know the one…

That one in the downwards direction…yeah, the REVIEW button…press it, there's a good reader…click! Click! Click!


	7. Chapter 7

OMG, you people hated me for leaving it at a cliffy in the last chapter!!

Sorry about that, I couldn't help myself…thought it was a brilliant place to end it; I've never had so many reviews at once for this story before! It was great fun to torment you all!

Yeah, so here it is, the conclusion to that mean chapter six! Don't hold your hopes up though, you'll probably hate me for it…trust me though, it won't continue like this for long, give me another two or three chapters and things will get _way_ better…

So thanks all for your reviews! And the four of you who voted for Sasuke's hair XD. The official vote was 3 - 1 to keep it long! So even if it is slightly cliché the people have spoken!!

Also I am willing to write a one-shot of any pairing that **reviewer number 53** wants!! Yes, that means I need to get from 41 reviews to 53…so whoever reviewer number 53 is, I shall write a one-shot, unless you don't want me to…T-T… then it goes to reviewer 54….

Hmmmmm…so don't kill me for this next chapter!! Please enjoy!

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Chapter Seven

Konoha High, a place that sounded vaguely familiar to Naruto, even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone aside from himself. As he'd thought about it while he'd dressed into his new school uniform, he realised that he would have to go through it all again.

School number six in five years…from Suna for only a month, to Mist, to Star, to Waterfall, back to Suna for a little longer before he came to Konoha…he didn't say that he hated it. He was just _used_ to it, moving from school to school and house to house every few months or so. He'd never known why, or if there even was any sort of reason behind it…it was simply that they did, and he couldn't get attached here either, he'd only move away again in a year at the latest.

As usual the house was empty when he woke. His daily bento awaited him aside the tonic and pills on the granite kitchen counter, he put it in his satchel after drinking down the daily tonic and drugs and almost at once headed to leave, without putting a moments thought into breakfast.

He was very early, he realised. But that was okay, as long as he was out of the house it was all fine, as always he couldn't stand being there for longer than needed, even food was irrelevant, he simply made his way away from the house, locking the large front door as he exited, and headed off down the driveway to begin his fresh new day.

Azure eyes hovered blankly over the new scenery that unfolded ahead of him, showing him a warm and cosy neighbourhood, one like he hadn't seen in quite some time, were the streets were lavished in perfectly crisp lawns and neatly pruned shrubs and soft scented flowers. Indeed it was a comforting place and so very familiar, Naruto could have sworn that he had lived there once before. Remembering those long streets and neat houses, and the many streams that seemed to run throughout the place, dotted with small bridges and wild-gardens, yes, maybe he had lived there once before.

He liked it, safe to say, but he wouldn't miss such a place, he didn't need such trivial things to get him by, it didn't matter how green the grass was or how sweet scented the flowers…or at least it _shouldn't_ matter…and it shouldn't matter where he went, yet somehow, the streets and the surroundings, these were the things that he usually missed the most.

Naruto's long golden bangs hovered aimlessly ahead of both of his eyes, brushing passed the bridge of his nose, the longer layers of his almost carefully out-grown hair brushing softly along his jaw-line, those much loved golden spikes of the past given way to the passage of time, showing up only at the back of his head where his hair was somehow much shorter…appearance was not something that Naruto felt he needed to dwell on, in fact, he never dwelt on anything.

Well, he _tried_ not to.

Feeling the pills at work and his muscles tensing slightly, Naruto's pace slightly slandered a passing slug…and within moments had stopped entirely, stood quietly upon a bridge, talking the short time as his muscles began to loosen up again, to look over and watch the soft pink petals of the nearest sakura trees as they floated casually upon the surface of the lolling river.

Such sights were rare to Naruto. In the Suna there hadn't been such wonderful rivers, it had been so much drier, so much emptier and lonelier, even as he stood there on that bridge surrounded by no-one, Naruto could feel the presence of people near by…the Suna had been so empty, it opened a whole new door of loneliness to Naruto, so he was slightly happier to be in Konoha, even though he knew all too well that he should never grow attached to anything, or to anyone.

It would save him the pain afterwards, making it easier to move on. Konoha and its sweet little streets it was only a temporary setting that Naruto might not see for another several years, so he would most certainly never come too accustomed to such a place. He would only be the one hurt in the end.

A train wasn't needed for transport to the new High School; it was only a few blocks away from the new mansion that Orochimaru had purchased. It wasn't a huge school, like Suna had been. Konoha was smaller, quainter and seemed all together less busy.

He passed the train station on the way, watching as a few more boys his age got off the train and walked along behind him, a pair of girls walking ahead, both showing off photographs of their great summer vacation, laughing with one another over the scene in each photo that sent them into a whirlpool of remembrance.

Naruto followed them towards the school; he mingled among them for a while, passing a group of boys who stood close to the gate, one guy with weird red marks on his cheeks was barking at another with an appearance that seemed way beyond lazy…Naruto looked passed them and headed onwards towards the entrance.

Being there was a usual routine; Naruto only had to find where he needed to go. Find the headmistress's office was first on the list. And sure enough there is was, not difficult to find and he was soon being ushered into the room by a young dark-haired woman, and before he knew it, there he was, ahead of a blonde-haired, heavily endowed, beautiful woman.

Naruto handed her the usual letter, of which he was still uncertain about, but kept that mystery alive as one of life's _little_ secrets. She read over it quickly before looking back up to the blank eyed boy that sat ahead of her desk, wearing a mask totally void of all expression. Tsunade pursed her lips and placed the strange letter aside, and resting her elbows on the desk looked over that the motionless blonde and narrowed her hazel eyes…

"So, Uzumaki, Naruto…" She said in a matter-of-fact tone. He made a sort of empty eye contact with her, meaning it only seemed as if he was looking at her, when in fact he wasn't really paying her any attention. "You're new here, and by the looks of your record you get moved around a lot, so I suppose you don't really need to hear yet another introduction speech, and to be frank, I'm not really in the best of moods to give one to you…so," She announced promptly, sitting back in her chair, she reached over and pressed one of the buttons on the telephone until a voice appeared on the other side.

"Hai, Tsunade-san?"

"Send him in now, Shizune." Tsunade said, and removed her finger from the button.

She looked back to Naruto, placing the letter in the top draw of her desk as the door behind Naruto opened and the boy looked slightly over his shoulder as he watched a very tall and strangely pretty boy entering the room, bizarre silver eyes looked over Naruto and long dark brown hair fell over his shoulders and down his back, neatly tied near the centre of his spine.

"Hyuuga, Neji, meet Uzumaki, Naruto." Tsunade stated, putting out her arm to indicate from the tall pretty boy and back down to Naruto, who although wasn't exactly short, was dwarfed against the Hyuuga.

"Naruto-san, Neji here will be your guide for the day. He's the Student-Body president here, at Konoha High, and I was hoping that he could help guide you around today, you wouldn't mind that, would you?" she smiled, Naruto was about to open his mouth to speak, but restrained himself as he watched as Tsunade was about to cut him across - which she did not moments later.

"Okay then, Neji! I trust I can leave Naruto here with you for the day, now go, go! Make sure he meets up with Iruka-sensei too, would you, before he gets to form room."

"Hai, Tsunade-sensei." Neji bowed formally and looked back towards Naruto, and with another smooth hand gesture showed Naruto out of the room. Naruto said nothing, as usual, nothing really needed to be said.

Soon, and almost too soon did Naruto find himself stood ahead of a classroom filled with kids his age, once more, all staring at him, making him slightly more nervous, he hated that part, when so many people were looking at him…but that time, there was just something about that room, he could feel kind eyes watching him, and he was relaxed, and then for the first time that morning, Naruto spoke, introducing himself to the class.

"My name is Uzumaki, Naruto." He paused for a moment, his eyes searching the ground, listening to the unwelcoming silence that had fallen over the class, a shiver flooding down his spine. "I've just transferred from Suna High…" he was almost certain…there was just something so familiar now, not the place; it wasn't the same familiar as it was just being in Konoha, but there was something, and as Naruto's eyes searched the room he was almost more certain of it…

_Sasuke?_

Naruto's eyes focused for a moment on round black orbs that stared back at him, sharing an equal amount of disbelief and heartache…Naruto felt his heart wrench in his chest, and its beat hastening as his hands balled at his sides…he bit the inside of his lip, so hard that he tasted the copper tang of the blood. Those inescapable eyes…they stared at him…but he had to look away…

_Sasuke…that's Sasuke…isn't it? How can that be him? How…?_

Naruto shut his eyes and looked away, finally Iruka-sensei caught on that there was something amiss, and spoke up as Naruto felt his whole body was about to give way any second now. His heart, he could hear it thudding heavily in his head…he didn't even know if that was Sasuke or not…he didn't know…it couldn't be Sasuke…_it can't be…_

"Thank-you, Naruto-kun. You can take a seat now; look over there, next to Shikamaru." Iruka-sensei was kind enough to point out a seat across the room from where Sasuke sat…much to Sasuke's utter horror…

In Sasuke's mind there was absolutely no doubt about it…_Naruto…it is you…_

He looked back ahead, down at the desk…able to feel his body shaking…Naruto had even turned away from him…looked away…Sasuke had hated that look in his eyes…_I've never seen him like that…never…_His fists balled upon his thighs beneath the desk, his body continued to tremble as he sat there, mind racing and alive with so many things…and it was Naruto…

He was so much taller… those azure eyes were so dark, like they'd seen so very much, yet his flesh still glowed with a brilliant olive tint…the height, that was something Sasuke couldn't get over…and his beautiful golden hair, gleaming like sunshine through a window…he looked so different…but he was still very much the same…without a doubt…_it's him_…_absolutely no doubt about it…_

Sasuke was torn between tears and laughter…he felt all of whatever colour there had been in his face entirely drain away, leaving his ivory skin as white as anything. He could barely catch his breath, it was hitched in his throat, his brows furrowed slightly…_what the fuck am I supposed to do…? How…how am I going to do this? It's Naruto…the Naruto my brother took me away from…he looks so detached from everything…so alone…_

Sasuke felt one single tear roll down his cheek before clashing softly against the wooden desk. That single tear betrayed him and he felt as if his mask was just crumbling away…he felt such a massive pressure surrounding him, smothering him even deeper in guilt and he was suddenly lost in it…

…_What if…what if he…hates me?..._

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Naruto felt no sense of escape…instead there was suffocation.

He didn't want to be there…five years…_that's how long its been, hasn't it…five years…after all of those days I spent waiting…after all of those months I spent forgetting…I knew I would never be able too…I knew he would come back somehow…to cause me more pain than he did when he left…._

He couldn't stay there…even if Sasuke didn't remember him, even if he had only looked upon him with curiosity…Naruto felt his heart aching, he shouldn't stay there, he couldn't allow it to happen…not Sasuke…_not again, he can't come back, he has to stay where he is, I won't let him get back in_…

Naruto could hardly believe how well he was actually dealing with it…his chest was tight and his mind ran through with different and pressuring thoughts that caused him pain to think about…but he wasn't breaking down…not like he thought he would…though he'd convinced himself long ago that even thought Sasuke had left him, that Sasuke would be happy and better off where he was…even though he didn't look it.

Naruto reasoned with himself, mind over matter, mind over matter…he had to keep his calm, stop his body from trembling…it was better if Sasuke had forgotten him…that would mean that he would remain safe, that there was a greater chance that Orochimaru wouldn't find out about him…Naruto wasn't usually one for rational thinking, but in that instance it was Sasuke's life that was on the line…_I can't let it happen…no matter how much it hurts…_

Naruto made sure that he was one of the first to escape the class as soon as Iruka-sensei dismissed them. Naruto did not look over his shoulder as he left, but he knew it, he could feel it, Sasuke getting closer and closer…he could feel it tugging at him, all emotions that he hadn't felt in such a long time, the sadness was beginning to creep back into his azure eyes, giving them the slightest sign of life…he couldn't stop the trembling, and before Naruto knew it he was running…

Sasuke had lost sight of Naruto only moments after he'd left the classroom. His eyes were broad, searching frantically for the blonde, pushing passed students as they emerged from other corridors and classrooms as the morning begun.

Naruto really was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke couldn't believe it, that he'd gotten away so damned quickly…Sasuke could have gone into a frenzy, he knew that Naruto probably did hate him, but he would still try. He needed to explain, he needed to talk to him, to see him, just to be with him, after so long he couldn't even begin to think of what to say to him…he just needed to be with him, to look him in the eyes, just to stand there with him, even if they didn't say anything, they'd always been fine like that before.

Without a doubt, Sasuke remembered Naruto.

Naruto stood outside, sunk against a wall, his hands to his face as his thoughts threatened to spill out, his emotions threatening the same…and then he felt them, tears wetting his palms realising that he had been stupid for thinking that Sasuke would ever forget him…not after all of the things that they had been through together, not after what Sasuke had done for Naruto, not after everything…

Naruto clutched his trembling body and slid down the smooth wall of the building, hidden behind a few bushes, he felt safe there, Sasuke wouldn't find him…but there would be no avoiding him…Naruto's tears truly betrayed him, he'd not cried for all of those five years, he'd not cried since the night that Sasuke had left him, and now it was the day of Sasuke's return…those tears were ones of pain and yet, ones of joy.

Naruto couldn't have been happier to have Sasuke so close to him, the remembrance of their times together, it made Naruto gasp for air as he attempted to escape the recollection of those sensations…comfort…kindness…hope…_love_…

_I've never stopped loving you, Sasuke…even though you left me…it was for the best, wasn't it? You had someone else who loved you…so it was okay, as long as you're not alone, it'll be okay…_

Naruto realised what he had to do to make sure it remained that way, as hard as his tears fell, he simply couldn't let Sasuke be drawn back into his world again, he'd managed to escape once before…and Naruto knew that he could deal with being alone as long as he knew it wouldn't bring anyone else into the fold. And that person would certainly _never_ be Sasuke.

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Third period came around, and there had been no sign of Naruto.

Sasuke decided he would give _it_ a try just that once…although it was something he'd certainly never thought he'd find himself doing…_you're doing this for Naruto…Naruto…you're doing this for Naruto…_Sasuke reminded himself with his inner voice as he entered his maths classroom, Hyuuga Hiashi-sensei waiting for the class to be seated as he stood at the head of the classroom.

Sasuke's eyes scanned the crowd, drawing far more attention to himself than usual, his eyes as well as his body alert for any sign of the blonde…he still didn't know what he could say to him just yet, but he did have a plan…

"Ne, Sakura-san, could I sit here?"

Sakura's eye twitched. Her lips pursed and she was ready, willing and able to turn around and give the next boy a solid thump. That would be boy number seven, after she'd told the previous six - quite loudly - that she was saving the seat for Hinata…

Her head creaked around slowly from taking out all of her notes from her backpack, about to scream a rejection when -

"_Sasuke-kun_?!" Her jaw seemed to drop, her eyes broad and she quickly sat up straight, baring a smile that was fit for a princess. Sasuke held back a cringe and eyed her carefully…Sakura along with Ino were the school gossips…nothing could get passed them…or so Sasuke hoped.

"Yeah, so can I sit?" Sasuke asked again, the politeness of his words were painful to him, causing his cringes to turn into slight twitches.

"Of course!! Go ahead!" Sakura declared, emerald eyes watching him broadly as he continued - rather gracefully - to take the seat next to her…she found it difficult to hold back her content…

Sasuke knew all too well that he wasn't any good with things like this. So decided to come out and say it…if Sakura was the loyal fan-girl that she indicated she was, then she would answer all of his questions without a moments hesitation, and all he would have to do would be to put up with her for an hour…_this is hell in its most annoying form…_he grumbled mentally…

"Sakura?" he began, dropping the honorific at once. She still had her eyes glued upon him, and nodded frantically to the questioning tone he'd used when he'd said her name. "You know the new kid, Uzumaki, Naruto…" saying his name out load sounded so strange. He'd never said Naruto's name to anyone aside from Itachi in those five years and that was usually during arguments…

"_Vaguely_, what about him?" Sakura mused, clearly hanging off his every word.

"I was just wondering…if you knew where he was…like his class or something…?" Maybe Sasuke was hoping for a bit much, but in all honesty he hardly knew what he was doing. He simply hoped that her reply would be useful.

"Yeah, he's with Hyuuga, Neji, being shown around mostly. He's in lots of classes below us…he doesn't seem very bright…" Sakura replied, much to Sasuke's delight and to his utter annoyance, Sakura had already began treading on thin ice…she had no right to say anything about Naruto…she had no right to make assumptions.

Sasuke bit back an insult, his fists balling beneath the desk. _So find Neji…find Naruto…_he mused, but it couldn't be so simple, could it…?

Right after period three came lunch, the perfect time for Sasuke to go searching. Knowing Neji, he was probably going to meet up with his girl-friend in the cafeteria, which to Sasuke was such a big social no-no. But he would risk being mobbed in order to find Naruto; there wouldn't be anywhere else he would eat right? Unless he had a bento…then he could be anywhere around the school.

_Cafeteria…best place to start._

At once Sasuke spotted Neji sat with his girl-friend, the fiery Ten-Ten, captain of the school's Athletics' Team, and the strange yet unbelievably spirited Rock Lee. Sasuke wasn't slow to make his way over, nor was he shy about talking to them, although most other students were intimidated by Neji's icy cool manner and kept their distance.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke said, walking up behind them. Lee was the first to look up, still laughing _youthfully_ at something said by Ten-Ten. Neji was the last to turn around, his silver eyes looking somewhat through Sasuke, though left him feeling nothing. Sasuke was well aware that he could have the same affect.

"Uchiha." Neji said calmly as he turned back around, Sasuke sat himself upon the bench seat that was next to the Student-Body president, his back against the table. Neji did not look back to him as he continued to gaze upon his own well prepared and made bento.

"You've been showing around Uzumaki, Naruto, haven't you?" Sasuke questioned, again, saying his name, it sounded so strange to him, so foreign, but he saw the change in Neji's eyes at once.

"Aa." Was Neji's response. "Is there something I could help you with, or is there something to do with him that you wish to know?"

"Do you know where he is?"

"Outside, near the playing fields." Neji replied, turning to face Sasuke. "Is there a reason why you want to know?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Need to speak with him, that's all." He stated simply…being only a half truth.

"Thanks, Neji." Sasuke said, getting up, Neji didn't reply nor did he watch as Sasuke walked away, though he did question in his mind…_did I do the right thing…?_

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto sat beneath one of the trees that shaded him from the sun, watching as some of the younger students were playing basketball on one of the gated courts. On the playing field beyond him, more students played football, others talked and laughed as they ate their bento's and talked about the vacation they'd had…Naruto tilted his head back, feeling the warming rays of sunshine as they filtered through the tree's thick green mane, speckling his face and clothing in gold light.

His bento lay aside him, entirely untouched. He wondered what marvellous concoction Kabuto had come up with that day…actually he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know…he'd rather leave it untouched…he'd still have an hour or so to eat when he'd get back to the house before Kabuto would get back, maybe longer before The Snake would make an appearance.

It really was a nice day…and it was still a nice place to be. But you'd never be able to tell by the look on Naruto's face, and as true as it was, Naruto hadn't felt his emotions escape him so much in years…he was so used to being numb and unaffected by anything after his time with The Snake had become worse and worse, and there was still no stopping it…the experiments were ongoing and showed no signs of ever stopping.

_Sasuke._

He hadn't thought about Sasuke in so long, but he'd never forgotten him, he had tried, but it had been more than impossible. After waking up the first time after he'd tried to kill himself, he realised that had become his reason for living…not only for Sasuke though, but for everyone or anyone that ever came into contact with The Snake.

If Naruto ever died then Orochimaru would want someone else so that he could continue the experiments…Naruto didn't want to die with that hanging over his head…he wouldn't let it happen…much like he knew what he would have to do to keep Sasuke safe, it pained him so much…there really wasn't any escape. The best thing that Naruto could do was to make sure that what was happening to him wouldn't happen to anyone else.

He was proud to say that for five years he had managed to hold true to it. Orochimaru hadn't even thought of bringing anyone else into the fold, Naruto was enough for him for the time being, and that was okay.

Naruto hadn't seen Sasuke since that morning. He hadn't had any classes with him, and he knew that he didn't need to worry about that. Sasuke had always been intelligent, that there was no doubt about. Sasuke would be in most classes above Naruto, therefore there was in no danger…even though he wanted to see Sasuke so much that it hurt…

…_Just to look at him once more…to be with him…but I can't…I can't do that, for Sasuke's sake…_

Sasuke eyed Naruto sat beneath a tree beyond the gated basketball court. He stopped at once, frozen in place as he watched him…he couldn't have looked more miserable…and deep inside Sasuke blamed himself for not being strong enough to be able to stand up against his brother…Itachi had only done what he thought was right for Sasuke…but that had meant that Naruto had been left behind…suffering…_five more years of it…I can't even imagine that…_

Sasuke almost couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bring himself to go over there, even if it was just to sit there and watch him, but he _needed_ it…that _was_ Naruto, it was the Naruto that haunted his dreams, the one that he could never, ever forget…

"Naruto."

His tanned face turned around slowly and looked up to where the voice had come from. There he was. Sasuke. Stood so close that Naruto found it so painfully difficult not to launch at him and hold him tight…it hurt so badly to look up at him with an empty expression, but it hurt even more when he saw the pain evident in those ebony eyes as they looked down upon him…he seemed almost terrified. He couldn't believe it as much as Naruto, that after so long, they were finally together again.

Naruto got to his feet, surprised by his own height, Sasuke had gotten shorter, they were practically the same height now…and he'd grown his hair…he looked really handsome, like Naruto had always remembered him to be…_really, really handsome_…but he didn't look much healthier than he had those five years ago. He was still so very slim, his waist was tiny even if he had bulked out somewhat… and he'd never looked so pale.

Sasuke found his eyes were lined with Naruto's…he wanted to reach out and run his fingers through those golden locks of hair, just to stand there and be close to Naruto…but there was a blankness in Naruto's eyes that frightened Sasuke to an extent where it became almost unbearable.

It was a look that told Sasuke, that Naruto didn't recognise him.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

Sasuke jolted out of his thoughts and his eyes went broad…he could have broken down in tears. He opened his mouth, about to reply, but his words were caught in his throat. He couldn't speak. He couldn't cry, he couldn't yell at him or question him, he couldn't say anything…

…_He doesn't even remember me…_

Sasuke couldn't handle that. He took one last look at Naruto's blank face and shook his head, blinking for the first time in moments, and swiftly turned away, without looking back.

As Sasuke had broken eye-contact with Naruto, Naruto knew that what he'd said had, had more of an affect that he'd thought it would…he hurt too much now…would it even be worth it?

As Sasuke had turned, Naruto had allowed himself the gentle stroke of something that had become somewhat forbidden to him, his fingers running through Sasuke's silky black hair so softly that Sasuke hadn't even noticed the contact. Naruto was slow to lower his hand…he shouldn't have done that…he had just made it that much harder not to call out to Sasuke, he'd just made it so much harder to stop those tears from falling again…

Suddenly, Naruto _hated_ Konoha.

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Those who want to shoot me for the mean ass person that I am - go ahead - cos this chapter is an evil one, and I really, really, really don't want this to last long…so it won't…because I'm the author and I have SPOKEN!! I can't let Naru-chan be miserable for much longer…its insane…but there shall be a nice little twist in the next chapter!!!

So people, please review! And remember! One-shot of your choice if you are reviewer number 53! 53 is the magic number!! So if you're number 53, I'll tell ya! Then I'll demand a pairing and write a nice long one-shot for you!!

Okay, I'm off to finish m course work!! Hope you enjoyed and remember to _review!_


	8. Chapter 8

WELCOME BACK!! To chapter eight…

Do not own Naruto (sadly)

Also, I got my 53 reviewer!! Iei!! So to RyoSanada1717 I shall be writing a one-shot that I have already informed her about - its going to be a SasuNaru!! YOSH! My fave pairing! Can't you guess?? So con-grats to RyoSanada1717!! I'll try and get it up as soon as I can!

On with the story!

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Chapter Eight

The mansion was empty when Naruto arrived home. It wasn't usual, although he had no idea where either Kabuto or Orochimaru ever went too, he didn't think about it much…he had too many other things on his mind to even be bothered.

He'd never had such an eventful day…and nothing had happened…aside from Sasuke.

His bed seemed to be the best place for him, but he hadn't eaten all day…which his stomach was kind enough to remind him of…but for all the effort that it took him to find something decent to eat, Naruto simply found himself staring at it, it had gone cold by the time he'd decided to eat…

Sleep would have been nice, to just drown in it all like any other day…but although he was reluctant to eat, his mind was alive and wouldn't give him a moments peace…he was almost certain that it wasn't even him thinking anymore…he wondered if it was…

_Kyuubi? Are you awake?_

_**Bad day, Naru, bad day…**_

_Mhm…it did suck, didn't it…? Wonder when they'll get back…?_

_**Tired?**_

_Worn out…_

_**Get some sleep…I can take over from here until they get back, then I'll wake you.**_

_Thanks, Kyuubi._

In those moments of silence, Naruto's thoughts drowned out and he was taken into his comfortable realm of sleep, a place where Kyuubi usually resided. Kyuubi was the only thing that seemed to listen to him…he shared a body with Naruto after all.

In that sleep there were no dreams, only voices, the gentle murmur of Kyuubi's thoughts as he lay awake in Naruto's body, lying upon the bed as his host attempted sleep. Such a strange day had befallen him, so many things had happened, he didn't even understand how he had managed to keep himself together, why he hadn't fallen apart…all he'd been thinking about was Sasuke…

_Sasuke…who left all those years ago…he left…and he looked so hurt today…I want to be with him so badly...but I can't…why did he have to look so sad? Why?_

He hated that it was like that. Five years had passed…he never thought he was going to see Sasuke again, so why? Why did it have to happen? How was he handling it so damned well? Why wasn't he breaking down into tears like he knew he wanted too…?

_Can't I feel anything, anymore?_

Hours seemed to filter by in a matter of seconds…Naruto had been sleeping for a while now, though almost too soon he was able to hear the sounds around him, the car coming up the driveway and to a halt, he could hear the front door as it opened and, heard his name being called…

_**Kabuto-asshole wants you…**_ Kyuubi's deeper voice echoed through his mind.

"Thanks," Naruto said aloud, steadily opening his azure eyes and taking a large yawn, able to hear his name being called clearer from downstairs. Orochimaru still wasn't home yet, which was good, but Kabuto was, which was bad in the annoying sort of way.

Sluggishly, his eyes still heavy, Naruto got up from the bed, and quickly changed out of his school uniform before he left the room in search of where Kabuto had hailed him from…Naruto found himself stood at the foot of the stairs, wiping the sleep from his eyes with his hand as he yawned. Kabuto walked out from the front room of the house, laughing emerged from within and Naruto dropped his shoulders…so it was going to be one of _those _nights…

"There you are, Naruto-kun." Kabuto said with his usual fake cheerfulness. It made Naruto sick to his stomach. Naruto looked at Kabuto, but only just, feeling the urge within him growing…

_**Tonight could be the night, you know, Naru…**_

_Stop it._

_**But it could be…I'd do it for you, like we've planned…The Snake might be glad for it…**_

_Kyuubi, please, don't…not now…_

_**If he pushes you into doing something like last time, then I'm coming out…**_

Naruto attempted to ignore the Kyuubi that time, if there was anyone who didn't like Kabuto it was Kyuubi…no matter the circumstances, Kabuto would be first to go if Kyuubi was ever given the chance.

Naruto wasn't in the right mood…the moment he'd woken from unconsciousness the days troubles had crept up on him, it wasn't as if they had left him while unconscious either, there hadn't been much of an escape…he was only glad that Kyuubi hadn't spoken to him all day…that was becoming more frequent now, sometimes Naruto wouldn't begin to hear his thoughts for a few days, it had become unusual without them, though it may be thanks to Kyuubi that Naruto wasn't having another break-down…he most certainly wouldn't be able to handle another one.

"Go and get some drinks, would you, Naruto-kun? And try and look more presentable. Orochimaru-sama won't be back until later tonight, so you get to spend more time with me, won't that be fun?" Kabuto smirked, laughing as he walked away, back towards were all the laughing was raising from…

_**Fuck you, dick-weed…**_

"Give it a rest…" Naruto said out loud, remembering why it was he preferred it when Kyuubi remained silent. Naruto went to the kitchen and did as Kabuto had asked him to do, bringing out more than enough glasses just encase there were more than last time, and found the bottle of sake that there always seemed to be a lot of…

_**How many this time, Naru? Five? Six? Three women and three men, I bet…**_

_He doesn't bring back women, remember_… Naruto shuddered, wanting to suppress the urge to gag.

_**Good point. Well argued.**_

_That wasn't much of an argument…_ Naruto pointed out bluntly, appearing at the door and peering in for a few seconds to observe the scene.

There were five of them - along with Kabuto, different from the last five, though all of them seemed to know each other well from the way they were talking. Naruto didn't know who they were, but in the end he never did know, and he never found out either, he knew that after that night he wouldn't see them again so it wouldn't matter anyway.

Naruto took a deep breath and entered the room, glad he'd had enough glasses and put them down on the small coffee table that stood between the three couches that the five lounged upon. Naruto was somewhat glad that the conversation didn't die down just because he had entered, so he went about his business quietly, putting down the glasses and pouring the drink, thinking that maybe he could just finish what he was doing without any of them paying him any unwanted attention, but as always, that was too much to hope for.

As he was about to set down the bottle and walk away, a hand reached out and latched tightly onto his wrist. The sudden contact made Naruto jolt, he flinched slightly but held his ground, he wasn't about to show any weakness, not around someone as insignificant as Kabuto and his 'friends'.

"And who is this?" asked the owner of the hand, his voice smooth and refined, his grip although soft around Naruto's wrist was solid and showed no sign of letting go. Naruto did not look at the man, only away, always away, he wouldn't make eye-contact.

"He's an ongoing experiment…" Kabuto purred humbly, truly as smug as a cat. "One of Orochimaru-sama's toys." He added, but Naruto wasn't affected by these words. But his body tensed slightly as timid fingers began to stroke his wrist, vanishing beneath the long sleeves of his top.

"A toy…that's a good word." Smirked the one who held Naruto's wrist, one who Naruto still wouldn't look at, although he could feel eyes boring into him. "One of his possessions, then? How interesting."

"Yes, interesting would be the word to describe him, Mizuki-san." Kabuto continued with a small pleased laugh. "But I'd be careful around him…Naruto-kun can be extremely violent at times…" Kabuto eyed Naruto maliciously, he looked even more miserable that day than he had in a while. Something bad must have happened at school, or his whole severe depression _thing_ was telling Kabuto that it was most likely going to be a bad week.

This pleased Kabuto. Of course it would.

_**Yeah, extreme being the appropriate word…wouldn't it be great if they knew the truth…**_

_No._

_**Geez, only kidding…and stop thinking about that Sasuke kid, it's going all mad in here…**_

Naruto froze at the sound of Sasuke's name in his head; he flinched slightly, yanking his hand away, which in return gained him another less friendly jerk forwards as the grip around his wrist tightened. Naruto had been caught off guard…Kyuubi had said that on purpose…Naruto knew it…but what would he gain out of it now?

Before Naruto had noticed the bottle had come out of his grasp and spilt all over the floor. His blank eyes watched as the clear liquid cascaded from the bottle and over the carpeted floor, seeping beyond and into the weave. Naruto's eyes were fixated upon that for a long while before he finally snapped out of it as Kabuto's fist collided harshly with the back of his skull.

"I said, get up."

Naruto found himself upon his feet again, a hand yanking the collar of his top and pulling him back. Kabuto was stood behind him; somehow, he didn't seem at all pleased. Naruto felt dazed, and yes, Sasuke was on his mind…it wouldn't leave him alone…all that he'd done, how cold he'd been, right at that moment he couldn't even remember why he'd done it…_I did it for him…I did it for him…_

_**Naru, snap out of it.**_

"_Naruto-kun_." Kabuto's voice hissed. Naruto's blank eyes focused upon the taller man ahead of him and he blinked, picking himself together again, Naruto just wanted to go back to his room, just to be alone and to think about Sasuke…he wanted to think about Sasuke, wanted to know that he was okay, glad to think that he was okay…_very, very glad…_

_**Naruto! Stop blocking me out, this is no time to phase out…Naru -**_

Naruto's eyes focused on Kabuto who stood out ahead of him, they were no longer in the same room as the other men, they were outside in the hallway. Naruto stood with his back against one of the walls, body drooped lazy against it as once more he attempted to gather himself together, Kyuubi's voice had gone from within his mind…Naruto didn't want to hear him anymore…

"You really do have some nerve, don't you, Naruto-kun," Kabuto laughed darkly, his fist whitening as his hold tightened upon the front of Naruto's long-sleeved top. Naruto didn't look him in the eyes, but could feel them staring. "When you've been so well behaved recently too…I'm not so sure how Orochimaru-sama will react when he returns home and finds out how you've misbehaved today…and ahead of guests."

Naruto heard what Kabuto was saying, but he didn't speak, as always, he had nothing to say to Kabuto about the matter…he would get what was coming to him if he had misbehaved for not…Orochimaru couldn't have cared less…

"I'm beginning to wonder, Naruto-kun, if I should discipline you here and now?" Kabuto forced Naruto against the wall harshly; holding onto his shirt harder, ready and willing to pull back his fist and strike Naruto across the face…_I couldn't,_

"_Care less…_" Naruto's voice echoed his train of thought quietly, but Kabuto had heard the small whispered words as they passed Naruto's lips.

"_You couldn't_?" Kabuto laughed. "Hmm, you really are misbehaving today. Orochimaru certainly won't like to know that his toy has been playing up…" he smirked. "Maybe I should send you to sleep, just encase…?"

Naruto knew what that meant, but he did not flinch or react as his waited for it. And sure enough moments later Naruto heard a crack and felt it as Kabuto's fist collided with his face. Naruto's head hit the wall just as hard, sending his mind into a daze as the all-too-familiar pain flooded through his cranium, followed by a searing white-hot ache. Only Kabuto's hand was holding him upright, the moment it was taken away, Naruto's body crumpled to the ground, his mind spinning…

_Kyuubi…_

_**I got it kid…**_ Kyuubi growled…_**sleep, would ya?**_

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Nearing 11:30 that Monday night, Sasuke returned home.

He opened the door without any thought of the time, and entered, heading for the stairs without one look back. Within moments he was up in his room, having slammed the door behind him.

Hazuki's head steadily appeared from the kitchen door, staring with narrowed eyes up the staircase, her lips pursed…_hmmm…where the hell's he been now…and to smell of smoke too…hmmm…interesting…mildly interesting…_

"He's home then." A voice came from behind her. She nodded and slowly pulled her head back into the kitchen, and crossed her arms above her swollen abdomen. Her motherly instinct was telling her that something was very wrong…Sasuke only ever slammed the door when he wanted attention - she figured.

Her eyes wondered up to the handsome figure that sat at the kitchen table having only just arrived home from work little less than half an hour ago. Itachi was still in his black and grey pinstripe work suit, looking over the food that Hazuki had prepared for him.

"Tachi-chan…?" Hazuki began, sitting herself down ahead of her fiancé - and the father of her unborn child. He looked up slightly, deep black eyes meeting with her hazel ones and she thought over the situation. "I think something is very wrong…I understand that our Suki-chan isn't the happiest of bunnies, but I have reason to believe," she said with a tone of authority. "That he isn't in the best of moods today…I think something happened at school that was enough to annoy him…or upset him…"

"Aa." He replied solemnly.

"I think maybe he needs his big brother to cheer him up, don't you?" Hazuki hinted, leaning forwards slightly, looking Itachi directly in the eyes, there seemed to be no flicker of any sort of emotion in his eyes - that was until Hazuki's hazel eyes went all glassy and she pouted…sticking out her bottom lip - the most dangerous weapon she could ever wield - second to tears of course.

Itachi's eye twitched suddenly, and he lowered the chopsticks to the table, and got up without a word being said between them. Hazuki watched him leave and sat back in the chair victorious. "Make sure you don't force it out of him!" she called after him quietly as he removed his jacket and placed it over the banister-rail, rolling up the sleeves on his crisp white shirt as he headed upstairs and towards his brother's room.

Sasuke lay on his bed with his face in his pillows. He listened absentmindedly to the sound of one of the random ticking clocks that was somewhere on one of his walls, most likely covered by some sort of band poster.

That day…it had sucked - very, very badly.

Sasuke wished he could think of nothing, but whenever he tired that, all he could think about was thinking about nothing…then the reason why he wanted to think about nothing appeared there, right ahead of his mind…and he wanted so much for the pain to stop - he willed it to go away, but it wouldn't leave him, Naruto's face was frozen ahead of his mind, along with the pain in his heart whenever he remembered that distant look in the blonde boy's eyes when he had spoken to him earlier that day.

Naruto didn't remember him.

_That can't be right…_Sasuke told himself once more, although he'd been trying to think of reasons as to why Naruto would lie about such a thing, but nothing came to mind…and if that _had _been Naruto then he knew he'd deserved a solid punch in the face…but nothing had come aside from salt that seemed to be pouring and pouring into those still open wounds in his heart, a gap that had been left for Naruto to fill. It hurt more than any punch to the face; it hurt more than anything…

_He was avoiding me, wasn't he? _Sasuke felt so confused.

"_Gruah_!" Sasuke cried into the pillow, his brows furrowing as he clenched onto the pillow tightly. He was almost pretty sure that he could cry…and Sasuke _did not _cry. It simply _wasn't done_. Nope. No crying. But before he knew it he'd been betrayed, and he could feel those tears as they soaked the pillow he'd shoved his face into.

Sasuke brought his face out of the pillow, realising that he stank of smoke - again - but didn't move, simply lay his head back down onto the pillow, facing the gig-poster on the wall that he'd gone too about two years ago…a poster that marked the first appearance of a hard-rock band called the _NinDogs_. It only had a small mentioning aside some of the wider known names…but it brought back some memories for Sasuke, memories that only made him feel guilty.

Inuzuka, Kiba was the lead vocalist of the _NinDogs_, and at the time, Sasuke _didn't_ socialise…then he got into a full on brawl with Kiba one day just over two years ago, and stuff happened…and suddenly, though his clear loner-façade didn't fade away - Uchiha, Sasuke had friends.

First Kiba, then this lazy-ass kid called Shikamaru…then Chouji, drummer of the band…soon he was going out more often (though Hazuki and Itachi were glad that Sasuke had friends, they couldn't say they were pleased with the crowd he'd decided to hang around with…), he'd made friends with this strange kid called Shino, the band bassist, and pretty soon found out that Neji and Rock Lee were also members of the _NinDogs. _Neji (beyond his Student-Body president mirage) was leading guitar and backing vocals, Rock Lee, backing guitar. Life out-side of school - Sasuke had found out - was a very, _very_ different world.

It had opened up a window in Sasuke's life when all of the doors had been closed. _He had friends, _he went out more and more often, was stalked by creepy fan-girls that in the end surpassed even Haruno, Sakura, before he knew it Sasuke was out _all_ of the time, and only came home to sleep - more often than not, if he wasn't drunk or stoned (courtesy of Kiba)…

Sasuke thought of all those times that he had forgotten about Naruto. When he had friends that almost - _almost_ - filled that gaping hole within him, but it could never be like that…and in his own way, Sasuke had drifted away from them, and once again became the loner that he'd always been since Itachi had taken him away from Naruto.

Now Naruto was back. But there didn't seem to be any vengeance. _None_. Sasuke would have preferred a punch in the face…he'd never felt so low, he felt lower then than maybe had when he'd woken and Naruto hadn't been beside him…or when he hadn't been able to tell Naruto how he really felt that last morning that they'd been together…the morning when Naruto had told Sasuke that he _loved_ him.

Sasuke felt the tears dampening his pillow as his face remained a picture of misery. And that was how he felt. Rotten to the core…how could Naruto _not_ remember him? Was The Snake-bastard to blame for it? He probably was…

Sasuke wasn't so sure if he could handle that.

_Naruto's going to be there…he's going to be in the same school as me, in the same room as me…the same corridors and fields…in the same town…I can't do this…I can't even believe that he doesn't remember me…that dobe…_

For a moment longer, Sasuke contemplated…for all of those 5 years, Naruto had plagued his mind, his dreams, his conscience, thinking about Naruto had always been so painful…_I really, really won't be able to do this…I can't…_

Sasuke rolled around onto his back, and lifted his arms up to so that they hovered above his face. His black eyes looked at his ivory skinned hands as he willed them to roll down the sleeves of his jacket, revealing the wrists that he kept un-covered, aside from a few black and blue beaded bracelets that he'd accumulated from knowing Hazuki…

There they were, on both wrists now, scars from times when he'd tried to 'help' Naruto…and times when he wanted to free himself from the burdens that had been weighing him down…all of the pain and frustration and that haunting face of the one person he could ever really remember caring for so much, aside from his bother…but Itachi had become the reason for his pain, and so Naruto had more than replaced that place in his heart, the place where Itachi once remained so strongly…yet the hole that was there now…it was the hurt of it all…

Sasuke knew his emotions were all messed up. Seriously messed up, they had been for years…but he'd hadn't thought about it before…not really…what it would be like to die. Just to leave it all behind, to be able to forget about it all…have that weight lifted off his shoulders…

Sasuke laughed at himself. A small bitter laugh. It was so idiotic.

He lowered his arms to his sides and rolled back over again to face the gig-poster.

_Suicide, a permanent solution to a temporary problem_…Sasuke reminded himself.

The one thing that Itachi had told him over those years that had actually sunk in…four years had gone by since that night, a night when Itachi had pretty much had the fright of his life. Sasuke had never thought he had seen such fear in his brother's eyes before. Even before, when they'd been close…before…_before mom and dad were killed_…even then, Itachi had been so distant.

_That_ _look_. That fear in Itachi's eyes made Sasuke realise that Itachi _was_ a real person, with real feelings…but no matter what, Sasuke resented Itachi, hate was too much of a strong word…but he did hate what Itachi had _done_…taking him away from Naruto, not giving him a chance…just taking him away…leaving Naruto behind…How could _Naruto_ be a _temporary_ problem?

_But Naruto's back. He's here, somewhere, in the same town…still living with that damned Snake-bastard somewhere…and he doesn't remember me…_

Three knocks on the door signalled to Sasuke that Itachi was coming in. Not Hazuki, she usually talked to him through the door…but Itachi entered the room, being the more silent-type…Sasuke wasn't in the right state of mind to handle him right then…

Itachi entered the room slowly, and closing the door behind him, took a few steps into the mildly tidy room, and spotted Sasuke's figure lying on the bed, his back to him. Itachi noted the soft hue of deep blue that emitted from the lamp that Sasuke had on his desk, and looked around at all of the posters on the wall of bands that he didn't have the privilege of knowing the names of, and smiled slightly - just slightly.

Sasuke wasn't asleep, Itachi knew that well enough, the boy could sleep, but _that_ night, it couldn't be one of _those_ nights. As Hazuki had pointed out, something was indeed amiss with the seventeen-year-old.

Itachi walked further into the room, and settled himself down at the bottom of Sasuke's bed, near his younger brother's feet, and sat looking forwards at the mildly-tidy room ahead of him. At the papers and homework and textbooks, at the neglected games console against the wall, at the TV and desk were still sat a pile of clean clothes ready to be put away, and at the untouched laptop that had probably remained off over the summer. Itachi noted that Sasuke only used it for research purposes.

Sasuke was - with all due respect - a pretty normal teenager. But Itachi knew - and always had known - that Sasuke also had some serious issues. It was a shame, but Itachi had realised a long time ago that Sasuke wasn't phased so much because of what had happened to him, but of what Itachi had done to him. That he'd removed him from the blonde dobe known as Uzumaki, Naruto.

Itachi remembered and knew the name well. It wouldn't be forgotten. Not to him - never to him. The boy that caused Sasuke so much pain and grief. Itachi could hardly forgive himself for bringing such a thing upon his brother, but in the end, Itachi had only been thinking about Sasuke…yet he'd made such a huge blunder…

If only Sasuke could realise what Itachi had done for him. If only Itachi could tell Sasuke the whole truth…but that wasn't to be…not yet anyway, it was still too soon.

"Rough day?" Itachi offered, wondering if Sasuke would take the bait.

Silence continued between them. Itachi remained still, his own black eyes watching the motionless objects of his brother's room, hearing the ticking of a clock although he couldn't actually see where it was.

"Go away." Sasuke retorted, a few moments later.

"Hn…" was Itachi's response. "I think I'll stay for a while."

"Why? Just fuck off somewhere, leave me alone." Sasuke growled his voice low. He didn't want to talk about it, certainly not with _him_.

"Hazuki-chan will hunt me down if I leave…" Itachi replied with a sort of easy-going tone. "I should stay in here at least half an hour…let you talk it out - if you want to…"

"You're wasting your breath." Sasuke replied instantly. "I'm not going to tell you _anything_."

"Oh?" Itachi grinned. "So there _is_ something wrong?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed, feeling the last of tears as they ran across his face and over the bridge of his nose as he was lying down on the bed. He only wanted Itachi to go away. He knew he should have just wondered around for the rest of the night after leaving Shikamaru and Kiba.

"Shove off, asshole." Sasuke grumbled. "Seriously…just go away…I don't want to talk about it…just leave me alone…"

A few moments passed, and after the pause Itachi was on his feet, his back still to Sasuke. Sasuke thought that he had won, Itachi was going to leave. He listened to the footfalls as his brother headed towards the door, and waited for the door to open and close…

"You know, Sasuke," Itachi begun, stood a few feet from the door. "I know you've been through a lot…and I haven't told you this before…but I know some of what you must be going through…" he paused for a moment, thinking through his words carefully. "I know my experiences can't compare to what you must be going through or what you have gone through…but I really want you to know, little brother, that I'm always going to be here. I'm never going to leave you. _Ever_."

And Itachi was gone, leaving Sasuke alone in his room. And Sasuke sure enough felt the loneliness. A few more tears ran from his cheeks…he didn't want to feel that way anymore…he didn't want whatever was going on…he didn't like that people worried about him…that his brother _cared_…

Sasuke had an idea…one that he would risk his heart on, it seemed…

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Heat. It surged through his body like a white hot poker, angering all of his senses, sending his mind into an annoyed frenzy. But he was still sleeping wasn't he? He was still comfortable, and lying in a dreamless sleep that was still somehow plagued by memories of Sasuke…that time, of Sasuke's soothing kisses.

He really missed those kisses.

Naruto's body felt relaxed, strong for a change, but his muscles did kind of ache in some places, his hands felt stiff for one, he felt as if he was lying on something soft, but uncomfortable at the same time…

"_Naruto-kun's been a bad demon-toy, hasn't he?"_ The voice had whispered in his ear, followed by a low and all too familiar cackle.

Azure eyes burst open and met with immediately chilling golden eyes and a white face. Naruto gasped and jumped away, falling from whatever he'd been lying on, and hitting a solid floor he looked back up to the being that had been looming over him. Naruto felt his heart lurching and thudding in his head…_Orochimaru…_

The Snake got up from the bed and walked towards Naruto as he scrambled further away and against the wall, bringing himself up onto his feet, pressing his back against the wooden grain of the wall, he practically loathed the smirk that was on The Snake's face, it told Naruto that Orochimaru was pleased about something that _normal_ people usually wouldn't be so pleased about.

He continued to laugh as he stood ahead of Naruto, forcing him further into the wall. Orochimaru's smirk was painful to look at…Naruto had this horrid sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach, he knew that he had done something to make Orochimaru smirk and laugh like that…but he wasn't so sure that he wanted to know what he'd done…

"Naruto-kun, you've been busy while I was gone." Orochimaru crooned as he gently stroked his fingers along the three faint scars that Naruto had on his left cheek, mimicking the action with the other three on the right. Orochimaru smirked, still getting closer to Naruto. The smirk frightened Naruto, chilled him to the core…that he hadn't even noticed it…

_So much…blood…_

He could even taste it in his mouth, on his lips. Naruto suddenly balled his hands…_what the hell have I done?! What happened? I - I don't remember anything…_

"If you wanted blood so badly, all you had to do was ask…" Orochimaru took his hands away, and reached down, taking Naruto's right wrist in his left hand. "Although, I can't say I mind you taking Kabuto's…"

Naruto's azure eyes went wide, staring at his blood drenched hand, suddenly able to feel his body covered in it…and it was everywhere, his bloody hand prints marked the sheets of his once crisp-white bed, his lips were covered in it, it was spattered all over him…Naruto's eyes remained broad, his breath caught in his throat…_Kyuubi…_the one word that circled in his mind…

Orochimaru laughed again, letting go of Naruto's wrist, but Naruto continued to stare at it, sliding down the wall, his whole body trembled with fear and disgust, he was almost sick at the thought of it…at the thought of the monster that he became whenever Kyuubi took such control…

"I suppose Kabuto-san deserved it." Orochimaru smirked, heading away from Naruto he looked over his shoulder. "But it looks like you went easy on him this time…hmm, shame…" Naruto watched Orochimaru's smirk with fear-filled eyes, eyes that told Orochimaru that Naruto really did _belong_ to him. Naruto cringed, and wrapped his arms around himself, breathing heavily as he rocked back and fore…shaking his head in disbelief…_Kyuubi, why did you do this…?_

"Get cleaned up quickly, Naruto-kun. You still have school today."

And with that The Snake had gone, leaving Naruto alone in that room, left to his bloodstained thoughts, unable to think properly…unable to hear Kyuubi's thoughts…that demon that lived within him…he could only be thankful that Orochimaru nor Kabuto were even aware of such things…if they knew that Naruto could speak mentally with Kyuubi, then more experiments would be in order…Naruto shuddered at the thought of how much worse it would be if they knew…if they knew that he didn't even remember what had happened…

He trembled again…Sasuke had only been pushed aside for a short time. The moment that Orochimaru had mentioned school, Naruto thought he'd be better off dead. In the state that he was in, without Kyuubi's reasoning to keep him calm…Naruto knew that he wouldn't be able to survive it…not with all of the blood on his mind…

It was hard enough as it was…_if only I really did hate Sasuke…things would be better for both of us…_

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Tra-dah…?

Did you like my twist? With the Kyuubi-ness? And the 'lets-all-kill-Kabuto-ness'?

You did!? How wonderful! Well tell me, in a review - like now - so do it, press that damned button! Tell me that you liked it! Please? Don't make me beg!!

Also, if anyone would like for me to do some fan-art then let me know…also, here have a look at this link - see if I'm any good at art first before you make your decision - go on my profile page and you'll find the link for my deviantART site - so check that out - if you like my style, the let me know, I might give it a go if enough of you suggest it! XD (sorry, i know this is the third time i've send this out, so yeah, the damned fucking link wouldn't come up!!! stupid FF)...anyway...

So until next time - and this is the first time I've asked…but don't flame me…or I'll send Gaara after you…

Yeah…so bye…


	9. Chapter 9

Here we have the newest chapter!

Sorry that it's so late, been hung up on - well - _life_. I've made it a long one too, as to make up for it. 3

_**Disclaimer : Me no own Naru-chan or Suki-chan or any other 'Naruto' characters! **_(but I do own Hazuki!)

Thank-you all for the brilliant reviews!!

Also I dedicate this chapter to** xflyxawayxangelx**! My bestest mate!!

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Chapter Nine

No matter how much Naruto scrubbed and scrubbed, he simply couldn't get clean.

The blood, it covered him, embedded beneath his fingernails and marring his tanned skin…slight scratches from where Kabuto had tried to fight back? Naruto couldn't even remember…and it had become clear to him, that Kyuubi was avoiding him like the plague. No matter how idiotic it sounded, Naruto knew that was most certainly the case.

Kyuubi _knew_ that he was doing something that would affect Naruto…yet he had done it anyway…Naruto couldn't hate him for it…Kyuubi was the only friend that Naruto had…but at the same time, Kyuubi made Naruto's life so very difficult…

All that damned blood…everywhere…pooling at his feet as he scrubbed it out of his hair, from beneath his nails and from his skin…Kabuto's blood and maybe his own…the steaming hot water washed it all away down the drain, the water so heated that Naruto could feel it burning…but he liked that feeling, that feeling of pain, of being punished for something that he shouldn't have done…something that Orochimaru _wouldn't_ punish him for doing…not at least, how he should be punished.

There was such a great pain in his heart that morning. He hated Kabuto, and he could hardly say that it was guilt, but he _was_ hurting, thinking about having to spend another day in school…like that, with his mind troubled as it was…and he would have to see Sasuke again.

Naruto wanted to see Sasuke.

Naruto wanted to watch Sasuke be happy…he wanted Sasuke to continue to be happy, to feel loved and to be free…but it hurt so much…he wanted to be with Sasuke, to hold Sasuke and to tell Sasuke how much he'd missed him…how much he still loved him, how much he'd been forgiven and how Naruto only wanted him back…

Naruto just wanted to avoid him.

If he saw Sasuke, he would break-down. His whole body was still trembling when he got out of the shower. He just couldn't stop shaking, and although his body usually healed quickly now, there was a little visible bruising around his left eye-socket…and it was damn sore.

Naruto did his best to style his hair so that his bangs covered more of his face, thankfully it seemed to do the job, hopefully less people would look at him today…hopefully Sasuke wouldn't look at him at all…

Orochimaru was waiting for him downstairs. That was unusual for him; Orochimaru didn't usually show up until night after Naruto had come back from school. Seeing Orochimaru waiting for him in the kitchen with his tonic and medication, it unnerved Naruto more than usual…and The Snake still seemed mildly pleased, though that morning he handed Naruto money…meaning that he would actually be able to eat that day. How strangely he was rewarded for attacking a 'companion'…Naruto didn't like to use that word for Kabuto…but he was Orochimaru's _friend_, Naruto supposed…a _bad _friend, but still a friend.

"Ready for school, Naruto-kun?" Orochimaru asked, appearing behind Naruto as he drank down the tonic. He remained still, putting down the glass onto the counter, his blank eyes watching the last of the liquid as it slid back down the side to the bottom.

Orochimaru's laugh was quiet but distinct. Naruto heard it right against his ear, and felt Orochimaru's cold hands as they ran through his hair _almost_ gently…Naruto refrained from shuddering…not wanting to give Orochimaru the satisfaction of seeing him squirm, even after all the time they had been together.

"I won't be back until tomorrow night, Naruto-kun…" Orochimaru whispered softly in his ear, his hand from Naruto's hair and stroking the back of his neck, fingers running along the inside of his shirt and jacket collar, feeling the warmth of the tan flesh beneath his rough fingers. "but when I do get back, we're going to have another one of our sessions…"

Orochimaru laughed again, a crooked smirk upon his otherwise flawless face. He stood back from Naruto, lowering his hand to his side. Naruto continued to remain still, eyes seeing nothing for the time being, mind focusing on Orochimaru's words, and listening carefully to his movements…

"Keep the cell-phone with you." He ordered. "I'll call to check up on you tonight. Now get going, otherwise you'll become a nuisance if you're late…" Orochimaru paused and laughed once more at some private joke before voicing his thoughts. "Not as if they would notice if such a useless thing as you weren't to show up…"

_Useless…yeah, that's how you make me feel…_

Naruto left not moments after. He couldn't really think straight, not that morning. He could smell the blood upon him; he could still feel it as if it caked him, as if he'd never washed it off…

Naruto stopped on the same bridge he had stopped at the day before. The tightening in his muscles passed quickly, but for some reason, Naruto remained still, his blank eyes staring over the side of the bridge and into the water. It was so peaceful that morning…the subtle trickling of the water was soothing, but Naruto's mind was far from being blank…his ears far from listening to only the soft trickle of the water…

Empty. It was a horrible feeling. Orochimaru made him feel like that…empty and worthless…as if he was a waste of space, a waste of time…yet Orochimaru kept him around…_useless_…_valuable_…these words all meant the same to Naruto…Orochimaru used them just as much, in the same context, and somehow it made sense to Naruto since he'd listened to it for so long he'd stopped actually thinking about the meanings of these words…the meanings came from the actions that followed…

Naruto remained in his solitude for a little longer before it was interrupted by a small, soft stammering voice…

"Ann..anno? Ne…Uzu-Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto turned steadily to look back from where he'd came from. Stood there at the foot of the small bridge was a small girl with short dark hair. Her eyes gleamed like silver…they reminded him immediately of that tall boy who'd guided him around the day before…_Hyuuga, Neji_…Naruto reminded himself catching the slight blush on the girls cheeks as she looked slightly away.

"Are…are you…o-okay?"

Naruto - almost as an instant reaction - gave her his all too infamous kitsune grin and nodded, but there was still that blankness in his eyes that the young girl could not help but miss even as she only glanced upon him.

"I'm fine." Naruto reassured her. "No worries…"

Silence fell between them. The girl remained as she was, still slightly blushing and not making eye contact with the blonde…Naruto continued to smile his fake smile…he should say something…

"You don't have to call me by my family name." Naruto pointed out to her. "Naruto will do just fine." He realised he'd seen her walking around school…they glanced at each other for a moment, and Naruto remembered her name with a grin.

"Hinata-san," He added triumphantly, knowing that he was right.

"Ha-hai…" Hinata stuttered. "N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto didn't really know what to say. She was just stood there, kind of bashfully, holding her book-bag ahead of her, her silver eyes avoiding his at all costs. Naruto felt somewhat awkward stood there saying nothing…unlike he had been with Neji…who he was sure was her cousin or _something_…her eyes made him nervous and made him want to give her a reason why he wasn't talking, while Neji's just told him not to talk at all…

_Sasuke's tell me he's sorry…_

Naruto's grin vanished and he forced himself to turn away, he just felt so incredibly vulnerable…and Kyuubi wasn't there either…the balance was gone…

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata said, her voice still small.

Naruto glanced towards her for a moment, waiting for her to speak. "W-would you want t-to walk with m-me to s-school…?"

Naruto nodded and allowed a small smile to creep over his features. "Of course." He replied, reassuring her by directing his arm ahead of him in the direction they would be heading. Hinata blushed with a smile and nodded her head meekly, walking towards him so that they could be on their way.

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Naruto noticed that not much had been said between Hinata and him, but it had been okay, and strangely enough it wasn't awkward. She was sweet and quiet - blushed a little too much, about _what_ - Naruto really didn't know, but he liked her and their quiet walk, it was a change from walking alone.

She nodded to him as a _good-bye_ when they reached the school gates. She went over to a tall, muscular looking boy with messy brown hair and facial tattoos…Naruto had seen him yesterday in his English class. His name was Inuzuka, Kiba, Naruto was almost certain of it…_Hinata's boyfriend?_ Naruto mused, gaining a somewhat friendly nod from Kiba with a crooked grin, and walked off towards the school building.

It was early still, there were only small groups of students around yet, most were yet to arrive. Naruto was kindly greeted by a smiling Iruka-sensei as he stood outside the classroom, awaiting the arrival of the teacher so that he could go inside.

Iruka let Naruto in as soon as he opened the door, Naruto decided that Iruka-sensei was a good person, he seemed like he could have a heart of gold, that warm, comforting smile that made Naruto feel slightly better, the way that he was so polite…_yeah…he's a nice man…_

Naruto remained silent as he took his seat to the far left of the classroom. Iruka-sensei watched the silent student for a while…he'd noticed it yesterday too…the way that Naruto seemed to be drawn in, so lonely…but it was almost as if it had always been that way for the blonde…he was blunt and didn't even attempt to make conversation. He either nodded or smiled meekly to show people he was listening or he understood…and his eyes, his brilliant eyes…Iruka-sensei hadn't seen eyes like those before. Gleaming blue orbs as blue as the sky on a summers day…but whenever Iruka looked into those eyes, he was smothered by sadness…Naruto was a _very_ unhappy boy.

Iruka had even noticed the slight bruising around Naruto's eye-socket - that he'd looked like he'd been so careful to try and hide. Of course, Iruka-sensei only saw it because he was searching Naruto's eyes for any sign of life…_maybe I'll have to check up on his situation at home…_Iruka mused, wondering what was running through Naruto's mind as he sat there, blank eyes wondering over what seemed to be _nothing_.

"Ne, Naruto-kun?" Iruka's voice sounded over Naruto's dismal thoughts.

Naruto looked up and upon Iruka to show his smiling teacher that he was listening, but he didn't make direct eye-contact…_classical signs of bullying…_Iruka thought aimlessly to himself noticing Naruto evading eye-contact with him.

"Did you make any friends yesterday? I saw you walking to school with Hinata-san." Iruka said with a kind smile still in place as he stood from his desk and sorted out a few papers.

"Mhm…" Naruto nodded, eyes drifting back down to the wooden desk before him. _Friends…? I don't think so…_

"That's good," Iruka smiled, scratching the scar that ran across his nose, it seemed to be an old habit. His deep brown eyes perked open as he remembered something, wondering if she should voice his thoughts or not…_hmmm_…he decided he should.

"I also saw you yesterday with Sasuke-kun." Iruka's words seemed to stab at Naruto…but Iruka had looked away, he hadn't seen Naruto's hands balling into fists at the mention of _his_ name. He hadn't heard Naruto's slight intake of breath…it was painful to say the least…he couldn't get Sasuke out of his head…_why did you have to bring him up…?_

"Sasuke-kun's a little anti-social, so I was rather surprised when I saw him talk to you yesterday at lunch-time. He really is a wonderful boy, I'm sure you two would get along just fine."

Naruto felt his insides turning, his body began to tremble…_no, I don't need this…please…just stop…please…_his sobs were inward, his head hanging dangerously low, his eyes broad and glassy as Iruka continued to talk…though his words seemed to drown out at once as he'd turned around and seen Naruto, he looked like he'd suddenly shrunk into himself…

"Oh…dear…" Iruka said quietly and motioned towards Naruto as a steady pace. Naruto looked as if he could erupt any moment…his whole body was shaking - not fiercely, but enough for Iruka to notice, and that was enough.

_I must have said something wrong…_Iruka mused as he squat down ahead of Naruto's desk, his eyebrows raised apologetically. Naruto didn't look up to Iruka…he just couldn't bare it…not that time…he wouldn't be able to do this…he _wouldn't_ be able to handle people _talking_ about Sasuke…he just couldn't pretend that he didn't know him…he couldn't do that…not when he was still in love with Sasuke …

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun?" Iruka said, a tinge of worry in his voice that Naruto found oddly unsettling...a tone that was almost unfamiliar. "Is there…_something_ you would like to talk about…?" Iruka offered.

Naruto gently shook his head…he just felt worse, the scent of blood rising from his skin…and only he could smell it…only he could feel it…only he knew it was there…_why should you care_…?

"Naruto-kun…?"

Iruka reached out his hands to comfort Naruto…noticing the whitening of his balled hands upon the desk…_yeah…something is defiantly very, very wrong…_Iruka mused, his fingers hovering inches above Naruto's hand…he looked up into Naruto's blank eyes…he really couldn't believe those eyes…all of the sadness and the pain that seemed to circle within them, only making Iruka's mothering (yes _mothering_) instincts come through…

Naruto hadn't even seen Iruka's hands until it was almost too late. With a quick gasp, Naruto pulled his hands away and held them nervously against his chest, feeling himself trembling…he couldn't let Iruka touch him…he couldn't…

Iruka took his hands away - almost frightened by the sudden reaction…he didn't know how he should react to that sudden movement or to the look of fear that was written over Naruto's face…Iruka felt a part of him sink…_this boy needs help…_

"Naruto…what's wrong?" Iruka almost pleaded. He didn't know Naruto, and wasn't sure if he could even help the boy, he seemed that he was a little too far gone by now…the look on his face was of sheer terror…the loneliness on his eyes was unbearable, almost as unbearable as the pain.

Like a child would, Naruto shook his head, his eyes failing to focus on anything but his own hands as he drew them closer to him…_he can't touch me…he can't_…

"Naruto…?" Iruka restrained the urge to attempt to comfort the boy once more and remained as he was, watching Naruto with raised brows…_he needs help…_Iruka thought once more, wondering if there would be anyway that he could help, yet somehow, as he watched Naruto, he doubted it.

"I'm…sorry, Iruka-sensei…" came Naruto's weak voice as he attempted to calm himself…he had forgotten how strange things could be without Kyuubi there…even knowing that Kyuubi would acknowledge him if questioned could give Naruto some comfort, but Kyuubi was ignoring him, guilty of what he had done…he wouldn't answer Naruto's pleadings.

"Why, Naruto-kun? You haven't done anything wrong…" Iruka pointed out, but it didn't seem as if it had gotten through to the blonde…

Naruto shook his head and looked up, a weak smile in place. "Thank-you…but I'm…I'm fine…" Naruto couldn't look at the kind teacher, his head was too busy spinning, the scent of blood that washed over him…_I have to stay calm…I can't loose it in school…I can't bring all these people into it…_

Iruka stood up straight as the classroom door slid open, but the look of worry did not entirely vanish from his face, even as he turned around to greet who had entered. He put on a small smile as he watched the tall, stoic figure of Uchiha, Sasuke enter the room.

"Ohayo, Uchiha-san." Iruka greeted him, not noticing that at once Naruto lowered his head, his body beginning to tremble once more. Though Iruka did note that Sasuke glanced at him and nodded as his usual greeting, but also that he had shot a glance at Naruto and turned away at once…_this is beginning to get suspicious…_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

They weren't in the classroom alone for long afterwards. The other students began to gather into the room, Haruno, Sakura leading an army of boys and greeting Hinata with her admirer Kiba as she did every morning…except that morning, she had taken one glance at Sasuke and decided that, _that_ morning he was in one of _those_ moods, ones that she knew she shouldn't never tempt fate with.

She left him to himself, although glanced at him from time to time, noticing how he was in such a foul mood, actually she could barely describe what he looked like…his appearance in general told her that he was insanely aggravated…but the longer she looked and looked at his deep black eyes…she knew that he was miserable…she'd never seen him look so sad - _angry_ maybe, but not sad.

Sasuke kept his eyes down…his mind blank of thought, he just sat there, ears listening to the mindless babble around him that mingled into one single voice…he couldn't care less what was going on around him…he just wanted to stop hurting.

Unknowingly he took a glance over to Naruto…Naruto sat right up against the wall, Shikamaru and Kiba seemed to be attempting to involve him in a conversation but Naruto seemed not to acknowledge them, and even if he was, he was making a good job of hiding it.

Sasuke felt himself spiralling downwards once again…smothered in his own self-pity. He felt pathetic, but he'd waited years…five long years, to see Naruto again, and even if Naruto hated him, it would be something _better_…but Naruto didn't even remember him…and he just couldn't get over it. _God, I knew that if I ever did see him again things wouldn't be the same…but this…it really is too much…_

He stared back down at the desk, his arms folded ahead of him upon the smooth surface; he turned one over and stared down at his wrist as if able to see the scars beneath the fabric…so entranced by what he was thinking that he hadn't even noticed the absence of the class…that they'd been excused.

Iruka looked up from his desk. Naruto had gone…_my newest troubled student…now for the other one…the original-troubled student…_Iruka noticed that Sasuke had not left his seat. He simply sat there as if absorbed by his own thoughts…which was recently something unusual for the Uchiha. _Something must really be bothering him…I wonder if it's contagious…?_

Sasuke only snapped out of his daze once he heard his name…_Iruka-sensei…?_

"Ne, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke blinked for what must have been the first time in too long. He looked up to Iruka-sensei who stood ahead of his desk with a half-hearted smile, and eyebrows raised apologetically…Sasuke knew that look and sighed inwardly.

"How are you feeling today?" Iruka asked with a smile, noticing what Sasuke had been staring at had been his wrists. Iruka knew well enough that Sasuke had been prone to self-harm in the past, he'd heard it from the mouth of Sasuke's older brother - Itachi - and headmistress, Tsunade when Sasuke had first started up at school…he'd been asked to keep a close eye on Sasuke for that time, which he had been, and recently, things hadn't been too difficult, before the summer, things seemed to be heading to be better and better…but now, in the new school year, Sasuke seemed somewhat fatigued and distant…

"Hn…" came Sasuke's usual reply. The glare was back in place along with the scowl that marred his perfect brow beneath his long ebony bangs and he stood up and heaved his satchel strap over his shoulder.

Iruka watched as the boy walked passed him and out of the room, noting to himself that Sasuke had shot up even more over the summer, he was just about taller than he was now…Iruka smiled to himself…but it was still rather half-hearted, he always worried about his students, he thought that was maybe what aged him…not that he seemed exactly old…being only twenty six…but it did something to him…

Sasuke had been his main worry over the years…they had a sort of silent relationship…Iruka would always be there if Sasuke needed help, and indeed, Sasuke had spoken to him in the past with total confidence that Iruka wouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone - even his brother. And of course Iruka hadn't said a thing. Usually it was about Itachi anyway…not that Iruka saw Itachi as a bad brother or a bad person…he only knew that there was something that had happened in Sasuke's past that he blamed Itachi for, and also that he wasn't about to forgive Itachi for doing.

Iruka went back to his desk after Sasuke had left, pondering over what had happened in the past few minutes…and thought to himself…_I wonder if Sasuke's problems have anything to do with Naruto…? _

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The day seemed to go by at a slow rate if anything. Sasuke dragged himself from lesson to lesson, trying to pick up the courage to do what he was about to do…first he needed lunch to come by…in his mind he was still denying that someway Naruto was lying…that he did remember him, but then the other part of his mind told him that he was just trying to think up excuses…trying to make himself hurt less - when in reality, Sasuke thought it would hurt more if Naruto was lying to him, simply because he couldn't understand why Naruto would want to do such a thing.

He didn't think that his plan was proofed in anyway - in fact, he couldn't even call it a plan, more like an idea of sorts. He just wanted to get closer to Naruto, if only to have Naruto push him away again. But if he didn't remember him, then Sasuke could get close to him again, start anew…_shit, that is such a fucked up idea…I could never do that…_

He watched the clouds trudge by slowly in the noonday sky. The sun was hazy and shone through the high cafeteria windows with elegance, watching the gathering school pupils as they emptied out into the large room ready for the best part of the day. Lunch.

Sasuke didn't usually risk going into the cafeteria, but that day - like the day before - he would risk it for Naruto - or maybe for the sake of his own sanity.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke said, coming up behind the older boy. Hyuuga, Neji waited for Sasuke to come and sit next to him at the table, which he did momentarily, attempting to avoid all eye contact in the room.

"Can I help you?" Neji questioned, raising the rice to his mouth with the chopsticks.

"I was wondering, you're still leading the new boy around the school aren't you?" Sasuke asked, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets as he looked up over Neji who didn't look towards him.

"Uzumaki, Naruto." Neji stated the boy's name, and watched Sasuke wince slightly at the mention of the name and look aside. Neji raised a curious eyebrow and expressionless silver eyes looked over the Uchiha. "I'll be leading him around for the week." Neji pointed out. "Anything else?"

Sasuke took a deep breath, wondering what if he should ask or not. He paused for a moment, looking down, before he made eye-contact with Neji once more. "There is something else that I would like to ask you," Sasuke begun a little uneasily, brows creased. Neji waited patiently, his mind couldn't help but draw conclusions about the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke - since there undoubtedly was one.

"Would you allow _me_ to walk him around for the rest of today…?" Sasuke wondered, feeling his stomach churning, balling his hands in his pockets as he awaited the answer from the expressionless Hyuuga.

Neji looked back to his food, his girlfriend, TenTen heading over to join him, flashing a Polaroid camera in their faces - Rock Lee not too far behind, a guitar bag slung over one shoulder as he balanced his tray in one hand and a few books in the other.

"What relationship do you have with Naruto-san, Uchiha?" Neji questioned, catching Sasuke slightly off guard.

"I - I…it's just that I need to talk with him." Sasuke replied, stammering more than intended - although he hadn't intended to stammer at all.

"Very well. Here's my copy of his time-table." Neji said fishing a neatly folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket. He handed it over to Sasuke without looking at him.

Sasuke was a little surprised to say the least. He nodded as he took the paper and began to stand. He nodded his thanks to Neji before he was heading to turn away. Neji reached out quicker than the eye could see and gripped onto Sasuke's wrist, causing the Uchiha to wince slightly at the sudden contact. He looked back to Neji who was staring upon him blankly.

"Be careful with him, Sasuke-san." Neji warned, completely serious. Sasuke heed the warning and nodded his head once more as he had his wrist returned to him. Sasuke took no more time than needed and walked off towards the exit.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

He had bought himself a sandwich and a can of cola and went outside once more, to the spot under the tree where he had been the day before.

The food was empty of taste, and he pretty much picked at it, having lost his appetite years ago…he knew that must have sounded foolish…but he hadn't eaten properly in years, just enough to keep him roughly alive - though he learnt that unlike most people he could go about a week without eating anything.

The picked at lettuce, ham and tomato sandwich was left aside half finished, he held the can in his hands and rested against the tree, his mind blank of thought as his eyes stared hopelessly down at the metal ring on top of the can, at the fizzy liquid that gathered around the rim. He felt completely numb on the inside, he couldn't feel anything aside from his head pulsing, but that was just his heartbeat.

He didn't want to be there, but at least he knew that when he would get back to the mansion, Orochimaru wouldn't be there, he could be at peace for a change, without Kabuto to worry about either, having being informed that Kabuto would not only be unconscious for a few more days, but that Orochimaru had, had him moved out of the mansion. Naruto didn't know where he was, and to be frank he couldn't care less…he only knew that once Kabuto was well again, Naruto could expect payback for what he had done - and usually with Kabuto, that came in the form of syringes and drugs.

Naruto remained like this for what seemed to be too long. But in reality only about ten minutes had passed since the beginning of lunch, it was only thanks to a free-period before lunch that he had gotten his lunch so early, he'd gone straight outside and that's where he'd remained.

He hadn't seen Sasuke since that morning.

_Its better this way…_Naruto reminded himself once again, a sentence that he had been repeating in his mind for the whole day, or at least since Iruka-sensei had spoken to him. Naruto realised that Iruka-sensei had only had his best interests at heart, but he couldn't let such a nice man get involved with anything about him - it wouldn't be fair.

"Now you, you look like the type of guy who'd look better with one of those massive grins on your face."

Naruto looked up to where the voice had come from, and was surprised to see that Inuzuka, Kiba was stood there, looking down at him with a kind crooked smile. He sat himself down next to Naruto and looked out over the playing fields.

Naruto said nothing, but looked ahead once more, moving into himself slightly, making sure that Kiba didn't touch him. "What's happening, Uzumaki? You getting along well with the crowds here?"

"Haven't met anyone I dislike." Naruto told him quite bluntly. Kiba laughed - _loudly_.

"Great, that's always a good thing!" Kiba nudged Naruto in the side, but didn't notice the boy flinch at the contact, only looked back ahead of him at the basketball game that was going on within the caged-court.

"So you live on the same estate as Hinata?" Kiba said, the smile still placed upon his features. "Another rich kid, cool, don't get many around here aside from the Hyuuga's." Kiba pointed out, folding his arms lazily behind his head.

Again, Naruto remained silent, simply listening. "Hey, you don't wanna come over and sit with me and my friends do you? I mean, it's just Hinata - who you already know - my best mate, Shino, and Shikamaru. Promise they won't bite," He laughed. "It's me you gotta worry about with that," He joked.

Naruto put on a small smile, a fake one if only to humour Kiba, but he couldn't get involved. "No thanks," Naruto said. "I'm fine here. Thank-you for the offer, though."

"Meh - no problem." Kiba smiled as he brought himself back up onto his feet, looking down at Naruto with his arms still folded behind his head. "We're just sat over there if ya wanna join us." Kiba pointed on the other side of the caged-court to where all the benches were, Naruto noticed small Hinata sat there with two boys, all three of them seemed silent and eating - it seemed that Kiba was the life of the party.

"Thank-you, Kiba," Naruto said with another smile, a little more genuine that time. Yeah, Kiba was another one of those good guys. Naruto could always tell.

"Well then, ja-ne." Kiba nodded to Naruto and headed off, leaving Naruto alone once more, something he was more than used to. He simply watched for the few moments as Kiba walked back over to his friends wondering about them, and how nice it would be to have a group of friends like that. But he didn't linger on it for too long, there was no time to think about things like that.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sasuke looked down at the time-table for the fourth time before folding it back neatly and placing it back in his jacket pocket. His obsidian eyes stared down at the tiled floor of the corridor, leant back against his locker, wondering why the Hell he'd even bothered to attempt this.

_It won't make any difference if he doesn't remember me._ He told himself again, but it was too late now to go and give it back to Neji, he had to go through with it, no matter how stupid he felt or how much he wouldn't be able to help himself…Sasuke had the worst feeling at the pit of his stomach, he could throw up what little lunch he ate right there, but he took a deep breath and held it down.

Resting his head back against the locker, noticing how empty the small corridor was, Sasuke wondered about the time…he still had a while yet before lunch was over and the corridors would once again be flooded with students. He sighed and took in another deep breath, running his fingers through his heavy bangs and away from his eyes, they fell either side of his face, leaving his eyes uncovered by the ebony strands.

Sasuke pushed himself away from the locker and began to walk, putting his hands in his trouser pockets, heading to God-knows-where, to just maybe be alone for a little while longer. Looking down at the ground, Sasuke continued onwards, lost in thought as he watched the ground ahead of him, and his feet taking him right, Sasuke continued going until he felt his body hit something - or more likely - someone.

Falling back slightly, Sasuke took his hands from his pockets to look up, his mouth open ready to apologise to whom he had hit - only to notice that, that said person had fallen to the floor. Sasuke's eyes went broad as he looked down at the blonde head of hair that was sat up on the floor ahead of him, picking up his bag.

The Uchiha remained silent as he watched Naruto who still hadn't looked up yet, though had apologised…Sasuke couldn't believe how nice it was to hear his voice. Then Naruto looked up as he was bringing himself onto his feet, and stopped suddenly as his eyes locked with the obsidian ones that watched him.

"Sasuke…" He said quieter and quicker than he had intended. His own azure eyes looked at the beautiful black eyes that watched him, and he couldn't say anything more.

Sasuke was surprised by the tone that Naruto had used…and the look in his eyes. Sasuke couldn't help but scowl…that was a look of guilt…_guilt…the bastard does remember me…_Sasuke mused, feeling his heart beginning to thud, able to hear it beating in his head, his breathing hastening…Naruto seemed to have the same problem.

Naruto swore inwardly watching those eyes and knowing…knowing that he had let it slip…his own eyes had betrayed him - and it wasn't the first time was it.

"Sorry - I didn't mean to walk into you - excuse me," Naruto said quickly, taking his eyes away from Sasuke's pained ones, and indeed, Sasuke's eyes were shining with pain. Naruto turned around swiftly planning to go back the way he came, feeling a part of him tearing apart.

Sasuke's eyes opened wide as he watched Naruto walk away, but he wouldn't let that happen, he wouldn't let Naruto get away, not that time. Sasuke reached forwards swiftly and reached out his right arm and took a firm hold on Naruto's left wrist, pulling the boy back around to face him.

"Naruto - please," Sasuke practically pleaded, his eyes locking once more with Naruto's. Both of them looked equally as frightened, and Sasuke could feel Naruto shaking as he held his wrist, refusing the let go. Shaking with what, fear? Excitement? Hate?

"Naruto…" Sasuke said a little softer, his gaze softening as he looked slightly down at the blonde. He had no idea what to say…what was there to say? All he could do was beg for forgiveness…all he could do was - "Why…why did you lie to me…? Why did you…pretend that you didn't remember me…?" Hurt filled his quiet voice as he spoke, no visible anger in the tone of his voice, he _was_ angry, very angry, but the pain swallowed it until the hurt was the only thing visible or noticeable.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, his throat dry as he felt his body trembling, unable to take his eyes away…it wasn't possible…to be able to look into those eyes once more, it was something that made Naruto happy, but it didn't show, it couldn't, Naruto shouldn't be looking at Sasuke, he shouldn't be talking to him or anywhere near him…_why did this have to happen…?_

"Naruto…"

"I - I'm sorry, Sasuke…I…I - please…let go…" Naruto stammered, feeling his stomach twisting as he began to pull himself away from Sasuke, though the Uchiha didn't seem to be loosening his grip on Naruto's wrist. "Sasuke…please…" Naruto had taken his eyes away and lowered his head as he felt warm tears wetting his cheeks…he couldn't' believe that he was crying…

"Naruto, tell me - why…why are you -,"

Naruto managed to slip himself away and began to walk off, but he didn't get very far before he began to feel suddenly unwell…he should have known that it would happen. _Why can't I hate you, Sasuke? Why can't I hate you for leaving me? You bastard…you fucking bastard…_

"Naruto, please." Sasuke begged, watching Naruto as he stopped, and wrapped his arms around himself, holding his back to Sasuke who moved no closer, holding his arm down at his side.

_Kyuubi…please…_Naruto begged inwardly. _I…I don't want to be here anymore…_

Sasuke honestly didn't know what to do or what to say, he simply stood there, watching Naruto, he couldn't believe what was happening, and how it had happened…Naruto really _did_ remember him, so after that - even though it had been only a day - Sasuke couldn't believe that Naruto really had lied to him…_by why? Why the hell did he do that?_

"Naruto…please, talk to me -,"

The next thing Sasuke remembered was a hand gripping him around the throat and he was slammed into a locker, lifted about an inch from the ground. Sasuke's eyes were dazed as his head hit the locker…_what the fuck?_ He looked up blinking, feeling the hand tightening around his throat and found that he couldn't breathe.

His hands immediately clutched onto the hand that was around his throat before he spotted with broad eyes who had him pinned so forcefully against the locker…_Naruto?_

"_Maybe Naruto doesn't want to speak to you, ever thought about that_?" the voice that had spoken was deeper than Naruto's voice, and the figure had such strength to lift Sasuke off the ground. Sasuke looked into blood red eyes, eyes that shone with anger and burned with power…this wasn't Naruto…but at the same time it was.

"Naru-to…?" Sasuke struggled to say, short on breath, wanting to cry out as he felt sharp fingernails embed themselves into the flesh of his throat. His own fingers gripped tighter onto the single arm that held him and he whimpered, but the arm remained unmoving.

"_Who are you to talk to him, hmm?_" Naruto growled, a crooked smirk coming to his lips, ruthless canines resting on his bottom lip. Sasuke's brows lowered in confusion…he didn't understand what was going on…_who are you?_

"Pl-please - Naruto…I-I can't - breathe…" Sasuke begged, his eyes fluttering as his face drained entirely of any colour; his fingers clawing at the arm that still held him against the wall…_this can't be Naruto…_

"Sas-uke…" The sound of the voice had changed…it was no longer deep, no longer angry, it was Naruto's voice, the Naruto that Sasuke remembered.

Sasuke managed to open his eyes, feeling the hand weakening around his throat…he watched as the smirk vanished from the face ahead of him, and as one of the eyes faded from crimson to violet and back to azure…the other remained red.

The hand was ripped away from Sasuke's throat and Sasuke dropped limply to the ground, coughing hard as he rubbed his sore throat, surprised that he felt blood upon his finger tips. His dazed mind could barely contemplate what had just happened…yet he looked up to see Naruto's staggering and trembling figure as he walked backwards, hitting his back against the furthest locker, his hands covering his face.

Sasuke really didn't have any idea what on earth was going on, but the moment he saw Naruto about to fall, Sasuke was up onto his feet and caught Naruto as his eyes closed and he collapsed, unconscious. Sasuke's eyes were broad and he was breathing hard as he held Naruto's limp figure against him. He wrapped his arms around Naruto; he didn't know what he should do. Should he take him to see the school nurse? No…he couldn't do that…he had to get him away from school.

Sasuke took a look around the still empty corridor and thought quickly. He would take Naruto back to his house. Lifting Naruto against him, Sasuke strongly lifted Naruto's deadweight from the ground and carried him against his chest, with one arm behind his back, the other under his knees. Naruto's head dropped against Sasuke's shoulder as Sasuke headed back up the corridor that he had come from to the doorway at the very end that would take him to the back of the school and towards the student parking lot.

Making sure that there were no prying eyes, Sasuke saw his car and lowering Naruto's leg's, still holding the unconscious blonde against him, Sasuke reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the keys. He placed Naruto across the back seat before getting into the front and driving home.

During this whole time, Sasuke could swear that he wasn't thinking. He didn't know what on earth he was doing or what had happened…Naruto had _attacked_ him…but he was sure that hadn't been Naruto, it couldn't have been, Naruto would never have done anything like that…_would he_?

Sasuke ignored the pain in his throat as he drove along, able to feel the warm blood as it trickled down beneath the collar of his shirt and ran down his back. He occasionally checked over his shoulder, only to have his eyes pass over a motionless figure in the back of his car…he looked so peaceful as he lay there, so calm, as if nothing had happened.

Sasuke had barely even questioned Orochimaru…he was the reason why Naruto was the way he was, Sasuke knew that, and yet he still couldn't believe what had just happened - but he didn't care, Naruto couldn't have meant to do that to him, no matter how much he had deserved it…and besides, whoever it had been, he'd spoken in third person hadn't he? He'd been talking about Naruto as if they were two different people…like a split personality.

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Sasuke lay Naruto down on his bed; he was quick to fetch a damp cloth and placed it against Naruto's too-warm forehead, hoping to help lower his temperature. Sasuke backed away from the still figure that lay upon his bed, his heart couldn't have been beating any louder, Sasuke was sure that he could wake Naruto with the amount of noise it was making, beating like a drum in his head.

Thankfully, Hazuki hadn't been home - as she usually wasn't around mid-day, she would be at her sister's or with her mother at this time of day, going to visit her sister's kids or to just go shopping with someone…Itachi was never home until late at night anyway, so Sasuke didn't even bother checking for him.

Sasuke took in a deep breath to attempt to relax himself, he could feel his body trembling, when he let out a whole chorus of coughs, his throat still hurting and feeling incredibly tight. Sasuke covered his mouth with his hand and quickly headed out of his room and to the bathroom.

Once there Sasuke pulled off his jacket and shirt and after drinking down a glass of water, inspected the damage done to his throat. The blood had stopped flowing by now, and had dried over his ivory skin, in thin lines down his back. He dabbed a cloth of warm water against the four marks upon his throat, hoping to wash away all the blood to get a better inspection of what had happened.

In all honesty, Sasuke couldn't stop himself from shaking. And as he dropped the cloth back to the water he had to grip onto the counter for balance, still feeling dizzy as he took short and painful breathes. He bit his dry lip as he forced himself to look back up at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was brushed away from his eyes, revealing perfect, flawless features and porcelain white skin that contrasted almost too beautifully with his obsidian eyes and equally as dark hair…he hadn't seen his reflection like that in a while, with his hair out of the way…sometimes he couldn't stand himself, and that was one of those times.

Sasuke finished cleaning up the marks on his throat and fished out a clean dark blue t-shirt from the airing cupboard and pulled in on over his head as he went back out, leaving the bloody cloth in the pink water in the sink.

Stood at his bedroom door, his eyes wondered over the sleeping figure. His face was entirely expressionless, Naruto's was one of calm…Sasuke only wondered how he would react when he would wake up.

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Two hours passed.

Sasuke sat on his desk chair watching Naruto resting there. He hadn't moved as far as Sasuke knew, he'd remained so still that Sasuke got worried and checked his pulse on more than one occasion just to check to see if he was still awake. Of course, Naruto was alive; his pulse was even and peaceful. Sasuke's heart had calmed down after a while, his throat was still sore and had bruised within the time that he'd been waiting, but he wasn't coughing anymore at least.

Sasuke was unsure of what he should do…school still wasn't out yet, and Hazuki was yet to return home, and even then she wouldn't be expecting him home until later on…how would he be able to explain this?

"_Hey, Hazuki-chan, this is Uzumaki, Naruto, he's the boy that I used to be best friends with before Itachi took me away from him about five years ago. I think he's mentally unstable like me and he attacked me in school then fainted, but its okay if he stays here, right?"_

Somehow - Sasuke didn't think so…although he was more than certain that Hazuki - being her - would most likely say _"Why not!?"_ with a bright smile, and ask what they would like for dinner.

Sasuke shook his head at the thought of it. Hazuki was too good to be true sometimes…and way too good for Itachi…_back to the matter at hand…_Sasuke reminded himself, his eyes focusing back upon the blonde. Sasuke got up off his desk chair and walked over to kneel at the bedside.

He remained there just watching Naruto, and that was all he really could do, he'd taken the cloth away about an hour ago when he'd figured that Naruto's temperature had gone down, and he'd taken it into the bathroom, emptying the sink in the process.

Almost without realising it, Sasuke reached forward and gently lifted a few stray strands of golden hair and moved them from over Naruto's face, his fingers traced just above the three marks that Naruto had upon his cheek…Sasuke remembered these markings with a smile…he never had found out how Naruto had gotten them, he didn't even think that Naruto himself knew.

"I was so frightened, Naruto." Sasuke said suddenly, his dry voice a low whisper as he rested his face against the quilt. "I never wanted to leave you…I hope you know that…I'm so sorry that I left - but I did come back, looking for you, but Orochimaru had already packed up and left…Itachi wouldn't take me to where you were…I've missed you."

Sasuke felt stupid for saying these things out loud, but he knew full well that when the time would come, he wouldn't be able to say what he meant to say…if he would be able to say anything at all.

Hearing Sasuke's voice was like a dream. Naruto could hear his words, they circled in his mind, but they didn't really have a meaning, Naruto couldn't even remember what had happened…all he could hear and think about was Sasuke's soft voice as it whispered to him, it soothed him.

It didn't sound like a dream. No, it wasn't a dream, it couldn't be a dream. Then Naruto remembered what had happened.

Sasuke shot back, falling back upon his hands as Naruto sat up quickly on the bed, eyes broad as they searched around, only spotting Sasuke on the floor moments later. He was swiftly off the bed and backing against a wall as Sasuke clambered back onto his feet, remaining silent and stood far enough away from Naruto as not to alarm him further.

Sasuke's face remained expressionless as he watched Naruto's face suddenly relax, he looked over to Sasuke an equally as blank expression, and neither of them said anything.

Naruto looked over Sasuke carefully, recalling what Kyuubi had done…knowing that Kyuubi still wasn't going to talk to him, knowing that he had once again done wrong…Naruto then spotted the bruise upon Sasuke's throat and raised his eyebrows apologetically as he walked over towards him, giving Sasuke a fright.

Naruto held out his hand and eyes looked over the bruising upon Sasuke's throat. "I - did that." Naruto said watching it carefully as if it would run away in any moment.

Sasuke rubbed his tender throat slowly and shook his head. "It wasn't you." Sasuke said in an almost reassuring tone, but the fact that his voice was small and hoarse kind of defeated the object of it.

"I - I'm sorry, Sasuke." Naruto said quietly, taking his eyes away again.

Silence fell between them, Sasuke was a little surprised by Naruto's reaction, but decided to say nothing about it, and lowered his arm back to his side, looking away, able to feel his heart beat beginning to hasten once more.

"I…I didn't want to lie…to you…" Naruto spoke up a few moments later, once more catching Sasuke off guard who hadn't really expected Naruto to speak at all. Sasuke looked up and over at Naruto. The blonde stood with his head lowered, eyes searching the ground as his hands remained fists at his sides.

"Then why?" Sasuke questioned softly. "Why did you pretend that you didn't remember me?"

"I - I couldn't let you get involved with me, Sasuke, I couldn't." Naruto shook his head somewhat childishly. "Not again…"

Sasuke nodded his head. "Naruto…I," Sasuke took a careful step forward, but stopped there as Naruto looked up. "I want to know the _real_ reason."

"But that was -,"

"Naruto." Sasuke cut across, locking eyes with the blonde. "There's another reason." Sasuke told him, as if trying to make a point that he already knew the answer.

Naruto suddenly frowned as if feeling threatened by Sasuke and looked at him darkly, but he was once again trembling. Naruto shook his head…_I shouldn't even be here…_Sasuke took a step forward once again, which slightly started Naruto, he took a step back, but he was already against the wall.

"I abandoned you," Sasuke said almost coldly. "And that's the only reason?"

"Sasuke - you…I know you didn't…I -," Naruto stammered scowling and shaking his head once more…"I know…that you didn't mean to…go."

"But I still left."

"But you didn't mean to go!" Naruto yelled, glaring at Sasuke with glassy eyes, tears threatening to fall. Sasuke remained unnerved, an all-too-familiar expressionless mask upon his face. "You…didn't mean to go…" Naruto repeated quieter.

"I hate myself for leaving you, Naruto." Sasuke told him truthfully. "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me too -,"

"No - I could never hate you, Sasuke - _ever_…" Naruto said strongly, looking Sasuke dead in the eyes. "I - I missed you too much to ever think about hating you…I never thought I would see you again."

Sasuke took another step forwards as Naruto stood away from the wall. Sasuke didn't say anything, though Naruto looked directly upon Sasuke, knowing that he should go away, that he shouldn't get anywhere near Sasuke. He shook his head once more…the second reason…tears fell from Naruto's eyes, stopping Sasuke in his tracks.

"I need to go…" Naruto said, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "We - I can't…we can't be friends again…Sasuke - not again…" Naruto continued to shake his head, his brows still creased.

"Why - why not?" Sasuke asked, a slight tone of panic rung true within his voice, his eyes broadening…_No, you can't, I won't let you get away…_

"I can't, Sasuke." Naruto said simply. "I…don't want to get attached to anyone…I can't."

"Naruto -,"

"I'll just end up leaving again…" Naruto felt more tears as they rolled down his cheeks; his heart was aching as he spoke, and as he looked up at Sasuke's broad eyes he wondered if he felt the same.

"No - no," Sasuke retorted. "I can't, Naruto…no - I'm not going to let that happen, please…" Sasuke stepped close enough to Naruto so that they could touch. Sasuke looked him dead in the eyes. "Please, let me make up for all the years…I've missed you too much, Naruto…I can't - I won't be able to pretend - I won't do that."

Sasuke reached forward with his hand, and with slight hesitation he brushed his fingers over Naruto's left cheek, wiping away the tears. Sasuke was surprised when Naruto didn't stop him, and that Naruto seemed to melt into his touch, taking a step forwards, taking Sasuke by surprise as he wrapped his arms around him, and held him so tight that Sasuke could believe that he was holding on for dear life.

Naruto shut his eyes tight, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's muscular form, burying his face in the crook of Sasuke's neck, not about to let go. He could hear Sasuke's hastening heartbeat as his tears soaked the t-shirt that the Uchiha wore, but he couldn't help himself, the contact…_I've missed him so much…_

Sasuke steadily raised his arms and placed them around Naruto, feeling the trembling figure against his body, he could hear Naruto muttering something against his chest. He lowered his face until it rested atop of those golden locks and breathed in the soft scent of Naruto's hair as his grip tightened around the boy.

"I don't want you to leave again." Naruto muttered, tears running down his cheeks.

"I promise you, Naruto. I'm _never_ going anywhere again. And I still promise that I'll get you out of this…I know that my word can't mean much…but either way, I'm getting you out of there."

Naruto didn't say anything, only nodded into Sasuke's torso, not about to let him go.

Sasuke smiled and shut his eyes…he didn't even need to use the excuse of the time-table…so what, he'd been strangled, but it was all going to be okay, Sasuke wasn't about to let Naruto get away, and he wasn't about to go anywhere. He would _make_ this work, and he would _make_ everything better.

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Fluff much?

Sorry about that, couldn't think of any better way to end it without people killing me for leaving it as a cliffy, well let's just say that it's gonna get better from here on!

Also, still no beta, so do not kill author-sama.

Review my peoples! I love all of your wonderful reviews!! They make my day!

Press the button and feed the review monster!!


	10. Chapter 10

Don't get me wrong - I DO have a beta…she's wonderful - _**Anonymous Sister of the Author**_, but I thought that I should just get this chapter up as soon as I could - it was taking too long to write and its so damn short!!

Forgive me please for this crappy chapter, it was difficult to write!! I'm sorry!!

Anyway - once again, do not harm me - I'm stupid and I'm doing two stories at once…and they're both pretty popular as far as I think…considering they're my first two fanfics…

Please don't be mean to me!! I'm updating as soon as I can!! **While I'm at it - thanks to all those you reviewed! You guys rock!! Especially those who review ALL the time:Hugs and candy to all!!:**

_**I'll say it once more - I don't own Naruto…only Hazuki…**_

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Chapter Ten

Sasuke was at the train station that morning earlier than usual - he'd taken the train rather than his car.

He was waiting for a certain blonde dobe to show up as they had planned the night before when Sasuke had walked Naruto home from his house. Sasuke had looked up at the building with disgust, it seemed to him that Orochimaru's taste in homes hadn't changed, he shuddered, a frown settling in as he watched Naruto walk up the path to the looming building.

Sasuke had been assured that Orochimaru wouldn't be home for another night - though Naruto had conveniently left out any mentioning of Kabuto - and still with an unsettling frown Sasuke had watched Naruto walk away…it felt a little strange.

He had slept restfully that night. Hazuki hadn't mentioned anything about him being home when she returned - surprisingly at four o'clock with bags of baby accessories - and was even more of a surprise when Itachi showed up with her. It was almost like his reunion with Naruto hadn't happened, and that night as he had been downstairs watching T.V listening to the _soothing_ argument (by argument it meant that Hazuki was rambling, Itachi was 'Aa-ing'), about what colour they should paint the wall in the new nursery.

Sasuke had listened longer than someone sane maybe should listen to a pregnant woman ranting on about different shades of cream, but he was in a surprisingly good mood - which Itachi was kind enough to point out later than night as he ruffled his brother's hair. Sasuke had only glared at him, but inwardly he was happy - _very_ happy - but he would never let Itachi know that.

There had also been some fretting over the amount of coughing that Sasuke seemed to be the culprit of…Hazuki had fetched out the cough medicine, Itachi had watched from a distance, casually eyeing the bruising and markings around Sasuke's throat. Sasuke had even glanced at Itachi, wondering if he would say anything, but Itachi did not speak, only slipped into Sasuke's room later on, when Hazuki had slept, knowing that his brother was yet to sleep, and handed Sasuke some ointment to make sure that the scratches didn't get infected.

Sasuke had to admit, he was thankful for that silence as Itachi handed him the ointment, and thankful that his brother usually tended to stay out of matters that included Sasuke getting into fights…of course, that hadn't exactly been a fight, and Itachi wasn't going to find out anything, not just yet anyway.

Sasuke looked down once more at his watch, Naruto should be appearing soon. He sat quietly on the bench, glaring occasionally at the few girls he heard giggling, wondering mindlessly if he could try for a 'licence to kill'. Hell - Itachi probably had one, right? _Guh…scary concept_…Sasuke noted to himself with a shudder. His brother - on a bad day - was dangerous enough _without_ a licence to kill…

Shaking himself out of his daze, Sasuke sat back in the bench and looked around, clearing his throat. He looked over the railing behind him that separated the station platform from the walking path, and back again - still no Naruto.

_Okay…now I'm just being all clingy, what the hell am I, a paranoid boyfriend? Okay, did I just say boyfriend?…_Sasuke thought to himself…_anyway, maybe I'm just anxious to see him? _He shook his head…he didn't even know what he would say to Naruto when they would next see each other. He'd been contemplating it all night, he'd probably dreamt about it too but couldn't remember. He wondered if it would be awkward - it would most likely be, but Sasuke couldn't be happier.

Naruto - the Naruto he would have gladly given his life for - was back in his life again, and Sasuke wouldn't screw it up again.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun," Sasuke knew that voice…_sadly_. He glanced up to Sakura, she was alone that morning - unusual as it was not to see her surrounded by friends - _or guys_ - she came and sat next to him on the bench, although he'd made his best effort to ignore her…he'd made his first mistake by actually acknowledging that she was there…_stupid eyes_…

"Waiting for someone?" she questioned, making conversation. Sasuke didn't give her the pleasure of an answer. She pursed her lips and placed her books down on her lap after smoothing out the neat pleats in her skirt, and remained silent for a few more moments. "I'm planning on walking with Hinata to school today," She said as another attempt to start a conversation. "She and I are working together for a Chemistry assignment, needed to ask her about a few things before the lesson today. I wanted to be paired off with you, but you weren't there after lunch yesterday…did you go home?"

"Didn't feel well."

"Oh? You're feeling better now?" she wondered, leaning closer into him. Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head without a response. Sakura smiled. "I suppose you would be," she told herself. "Otherwise you wouldn't be in school, right?"

_Yes, Sakura, because I _love_ school so much that I need an excuse to keep me away…_He thought to himself as he looked back over his shoulder, and then his eyes widened as he saw the blonde head appear upon the rise…_and Hinata? _

Sakura jumped up and waived to Hinata with a smile as she headed for the gate that would take her out onto the path, Sasuke narrowly followed her, watching Naruto all the while as he spoke softly with Hinata; a small smile graced his lips…he didn't really bother with the Hinata issue…because it couldn't become an issue - it was just Hinata, after all.

Sakura ran over to greet Hinata, saying a friendly good-morning to Naruto, who nodded with a smile in return, one that did not seem to reach his eyes - as always - and waived a good-bye to Hinata who apologised as she walked away.

Sasuke remained silent and still, Naruto hadn't noticed him yet, though when Naruto did finally look up, his eyes locked at once with Sasuke's and his lips curled into a smile as he saw the same expression upon the face of the usually stoic boy.

"Ohayo, Naruto." Sasuke said coolly as Naruto had reached him, they stood a few inches apart, smiling at one another, Naruto really was smiling, it was genuine, not his fake grin that he hid behind, he was _actually_ smiling…Sasuke was glad.

"Ohayo, Sasuke." Naruto smiled; unable to hide his contentment…he'd not been able to sleep thinking about seeing Sasuke again. He felt as if some weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and although somehow he knew he was doing something wrong…he knew that he would somehow be hurt in the end - Naruto didn't want to care, he hadn't seen Sasuke in so long…he only hoped he wouldn't regret it.

"Ne, ne! Sasuke-kun! Are you coming?!" Sakura called over her shoulder as she waved at them. Naruto looked beyond Sasuke at the pretty pink-haired girl and the sweet, blushing Hinata and back at Sasuke. Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed, his shoulders dropping before he glanced over his shoulder and nodded towards the girl.

"We'll see you there, Sakura." Sasuke said coolly, though Naruto noted the clear annoyance in Sasuke's tone…_nope, he hasn't changed very much in that respect_…

Sasuke looked back to Naruto and shrugged. "Shall we get going?" He offered and held out his hand to direct Naruto to walk besides him. Naruto nodded and took the offer to stand at Sasuke's side, their shoulders brushing for a moment, _just like old times_. Sasuke thought the same and glanced at Naruto, still unable to believe how much taller he was. Inwardly Sasuke smiled as a comfortable silence smothered them and they were on their way.

As a habit more than anything, Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets, taking another glance at Naruto, taking in the pleasant sight of his golden hair and smooth skin, at those strange markings on his cheeks, sparkling blue eyes - _yeah, they're sparkling_ - and once again Sasuke couldn't hold back a smile.

"Your hair is longer than before." Sasuke was slightly caught off guard as he noticed that voice as Naruto's. He looked at the blonde properly who didn't seem to be looking back at him.

"Yeah," Sasuke stated simply. "I haven't had it cut in a while."

"It suites you." Naruto said softly, quietly, wondering if Sasuke had heard him at all, which he had.

"Thanks." Sasuke didn't really know what he should say…_should I say he looks nice? What the hell…what to say to him? What to say to him that won't upset him? Ah, shit…we never used to talk much before…not really anyway…but he's actually speaking to me, that's different._

"Ne, Sasuke?" Sasuke looked once more to Naruto; the blonde was watching his feet as he spoke. He felt Sasuke's eyes upon him and therefore continued. "About what happened yesterday," Naruto paused, trying to find the right words as Sasuke pondered over what part of what happened yesterday Naruto was talking about. "When - when I had…you know, what I did to you in school…your throat…"

"Aa." Sasuke shook his head, slightly surprised by the change in topic. "You don't have to explain anything,"

"_Datte_ -," Naruto began to argue.

"_Iie_ - you don't have to explain anything to me, Naruto." Sasuke said firmly yet softly, a sort of reassuring tone to his voice. He lowered his eyes to the ground as he continued. "There's nothing for you to apologise for either…I may not be able to understand…but I know that…there are something's that don't need explanations…not with Orochimaru…" Sasuke paused for a moment, catching Naruto's reaction, Sasuke seemed more phased by the name than Naruto did, and in all honesty, Sasuke thought that was fair enough.

"You can tell me when you _feel_ that you _want_ to…not because you feel _obliged_ to give me an explanation." Sasuke finished.

"Sankyuu." Naruto nodded, his arm once again brushing against Sasuke's, feeling such a strange sensation of longing surge through him. He just wanted to reach out and hold Sasuke again, just to touch him, to feel _something_ aside from loneliness.

"I don't think we've ever spoken so much…" Sasuke pointed out a few moments later as they came closer to the school, a slight feeling of nostalgia creeping over him as he approached the school gates, Naruto once again at his side.

"And yet…we haven't really said what we want to say." Naruto pointed out.

"Aa..." Sasuke agreed. "But there's going to be time for that…let's just enjoy each others company once more...I still find it hard to believe that five years have passed."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, though as he thought back, he realised it felt like so much longer…he wondered if that was what Sasuke really thought too.

"You haven't gotten much taller,"

"_Che_ - I have, and it's that you've finally caught up to me, dobe." Sasuke smirked at the devious glint in Naruto's eyes…as much as he would like to deny it; Naruto had clearly changed a lot since the last time they had met.

He looked different and he acted different to how he had expected. And what _had_ he expected? A timid and shy Naruto? One that was brave and courageous in a way that could surpass anyone? Sasuke was sure that, that part hadn't changed, Naruto would always be brave, he would always put others ahead of himself, but his attitude…_maybe he's changed as much as I have…?_

"Teme." Naruto stated quietly under his breath. Sasuke nudged him slightly in the shoulder, noticing how firmly Naruto had held his ground. _Nope, he's no push over anymore, he's far stronger…what the hell could that Snake-bastard have done to him…? Hell, do I even want to know?_

"Ne! Uchiha! Uzumaki-san! Over here!"

The pair turned their eyes in the direction of the call, Naruto looking passed Sasuke's slightly taller frame and towards the waving figure that stood some feet away off to the right beyond the school gate. Sasuke raised an eyebrow…_and they called to _me_ why?_ He questioned inwardly.

"You've been acquainted with Inuzuka?" Sasuke questioned Naruto who out of politeness waved back to the dark haired teen.

"Sort of." Naruto stated. "Are you friends with them?"

"I…I suppose I am…" Sasuke said, it seemed like he was uncertain to Naruto, he looked at Sasuke's empty face and contemplated, from what Naruto had seen of Sasuke, he did seem like a bit of a loner, which Naruto had never thought of him as before, since when they'd been together, they'd always be together, they'd always had each other, Naruto just couldn't really place Sasuke as much of a loner.

"Ne, Uchiha, you getting to know Naruto?" Kiba wondered as he wondered over, followed by the boy that Naruto recognised as Nara, Shikamaru. There were no others around.

"Yeah, sort of." Sasuke shrugged at the question, casually looking around as Naruto bowed his head to the two.

"Ne, Naruto, you remember Shikamaru," Kiba pointed to the guy to his left, following behind slightly at a snails pace, seeming to be in no hurry. His half cast eyes gave off the impression that he was one tired (or lazy) youth. He nodded politely to Naruto, and Naruto nodded back.

"It's weird seeing you walking around with people, Uchiha." Kiba laughed. "Thought I was seeing things when you entered the school with Uzumaki."

"Had to avoid Sakura somehow." Sasuke stated coolly, Naruto didn't really get it, but supposed that he didn't need to understand.

"_Oh_, so that was _you_." Kiba raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Sasuke raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and gave Kiba a chilling look that could make Naruto wince, but at the same time made him smile…_that's just like Sasuke…_

"_What_ was me?" Sasuke retorted, his voice calm but threatening - one useful thing he had picked up from his brother.

"_You're_ the reason that Hinata-san went off with Sakura! To do _work_ and - and _whatever_! Now I won't see her until homeroom!"

"Which is in ten minutes, you idiot…" Shikamaru had finally spoken up, casually rolling his eyes as he turned slightly away from the conversation as if it was entirely pointless - which in his world it probably was. Naruto watched this interaction…_yeah, they're Sasuke's friends…_he thought with an inward smile.

"That's not the point!" Kiba growled, balling his hands at his sides.

"Then what exactly _is_ your point, Inuzuka?" Sasuke questioned fairly calmly.

"My _point_ is that -,"

"Give it a rest, you're so troublesome."

"What was that, Nara!?" Kiba snapped, turning to face Shikamaru.

"I'm not going to repeat myself…" Shikamaru yawned, a fuming Kiba just behind him.

Naruto looked between the two, then again back to an all knowing Sasuke who seemed unfazed as if saying '_don't worry, this happens al the time_.'

"Come on, Naruto. Kiba'll be at this for a while." Sasuke sighed and turned around beginning to walk away. Naruto nodded his head and eagerly followed, looking back occasionally over his shoulder towards the both of them, Kiba was still yelling at Shikamaru, while Shikamaru simply brushed him off casually, Naruto didn't even think that Shikamaru was even actually listening to what Kiba was saying…he'd seen them arguing like that when he'd first arrived at the school.

"Oh, that reminds me," Sasuke said out of the blue, looking up suddenly as he took his hand from his jacket pocket, bringing out a folded piece of paper.

"A note?" Naruto questioned, looking over it.

"Nope," Sasuke replied as he unfolded it. "You're timetable." Naruto took it from Sasuke's hands to inspect it closer.

"How did you - ?"

"Hyuuga, Neji gave it to me." Sasuke stated, hardly helping with Naruto's slight confusion. They both stopped on the yard and Sasuke stood ahead of Naruto ready to explain. "On Monday, when I thought that you didn't remember me…I didn't want to believe you…" Sasuke begun, feeling a little ashamed, he looked away, Naruto did the same thing, feeling the same way, it had hurt him to do so too.

"So yesterday, I went to Hyuuga, knowing that he was the one who was leading you around the school for the week. I asked him if I could lead you around after lunch yesterday. And he agreed, and gave me the timetable." Sasuke explained, the tone of his voice becoming slightly more casual.

"Oh…will you…be leading me around today?" Naruto questioned as Sasuke took back the timetable and folded it back away neatly, placing it back in his jacket pocket.

Obsidian eyes locked this azure ones and a smirk appeared upon Sasuke's soft lips. "I'm sure I can work something out." He leant discreetly closer to Naruto who lavished at that subtle feeling and the slight closeness as the gap between them shrunk.

Sasuke had been careful to make sure that they were not noticed, he couldn't stand it anymore, acting so distant when all he really wanted to do was hold Naruto again, to just hold him close…and that was what Naruto wanted too, yet stood as close as that only seemed appropriate. Sasuke smirked as he brushed his fingers along the back of Naruto's sun-kissed hand, and felt Naruto's hand as it turned around so that Sasuke's fingers traced over Naruto's palm.

Naruto smiled as he gently shut his eyes.

"Aren't we in any classes together?" Naruto whispered, thinking to himself. Sasuke gently shook his head as he continued to trace Naruto's palm with pale fingers.

"No," he breathed softly. "But there are always free periods." He shrugged, Naruto nodded his head as he opened his eyes and felt Sasuke beginning to move away. "Come on, we'll go to homeroom."

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"Hmm…things are getting interesting…"

Umino, Iruka-sensei stood with narrowed eyes gazing out of the window at the pair that had just left the front yard. He watched Naruto and Sasuke as they walked together…_rather closely, I might add_…towards the school…It indeed was not what he really had in mind for those two…somehow _childhood friends_ had come to his mind when he'd thought that they had a connection…_hmm, I didn't realise that maybe it could be deeper than that…_

"Who ya spyin' on, Umino?"

Iruka snapped out of his trance and straightened up as his eyes broadened and met with the dark eyes of Anko as she stood looking over his shoulder. He laughed nervously and turned towards her as she backed away. She didn't seem to be too suspicious.

"Oh, no one, it's just some first years." Iruka smiled, Anko shrugged it off and looked up at the youthful teacher with a catty grin.

"Some first years, eh? Well, who would've thought?" she grinned broader, making Iruka-sensei suddenly nervous. "Iruka, the closet pervert."

"_Nani_!? No, no, _no_! You've got me all wrong!" He shook his hands ahead of him as though trying to deflect the clearly wrong interpretation.

"Yeah, okay," Anko grinned, and patted Iruka on the back as she walked away. "Don't worry; your secret is safe with me…"

Iruka dropped his shoulders and sighed, a slightly tinge of worry ran down his spine…along with a shudder. He cursed inwardly…_I should have known…well, best be off to homeroom before anyone else gets any wrong ideas…_

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With their timetables out ahead of them, Sasuke passed his eyes over them and studied when they would both have free periods. Considering their luck, there was actually quite a few of them. Sasuke had more lessons than Naruto over all considering the lessons chosen.

"There…we actually have free lesson just after lunch today." Sasuke told Naruto who sat at the desk ahead of Sasuke's looking over the chair, and watching with an inward smile as Sasuke, rather seriously - went over the time tables in their turn and marked them off. He looked like he had done it before…Naruto didn't know why it was so fascinating just to watch Sasuke do something like this, maybe it was the way that his eyes moved over the text, maybe the way that his hand carried the pen over the paper, maybe the way that he pursed his lips every now and again in concentration…_yeah, that's got to be it…_

Sasuke looked at Naruto and passed him back his time table. "I…I'm still finding this hard to believe…" Sasuke suddenly confessed.

Naruto nodded in agreement, reaching over and placing his hands against Sasuke's, brushing their fingers together. Sasuke smiled and intertwined their fingers, looking once again over Naruto's lithe figure, knowing somehow that there was something far more powerful about Naruto now than there had been before…_perhaps that's what going it alone did to him…made him a stronger person…but why don't I want to believe that?_

"I wonder…" Naruto began quietly. "I wonder how long this can last…" Sasuke scowled at this, but Naruto seemed oblivious to it, simply watched their fingers as his thumb ran gently and comfortably along the back of Sasuke's pale hand.

After a short while of the silence, Naruto looked up to Sasuke's face and saw the frown that marred his perfect brow beneath his hair. In a rather bold gesture, Naruto reached out and ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair, brushing it aside and away from his face. Sasuke's scowl vanished and he looked Naruto in the eye, capturing the hand in his own at it rested aside his face.

"I like being able to see your face…" Naruto smiled half heartedly, although inside he still felt somewhat torn…_what is it that I'm feeling_…? "It's reassuring…"

"Reassuring…" Sasuke tested the word. "That's one that I haven't heard before." He smiled. "I like it."

"That's always good to know…" Naruto smiled, and steadily began to lower his hand back down to the table where Sasuke's fingers eagerly awaited their touch. "Another reassuring thing…" Naruto commented as their fingers intertwined once again.

"We should just skip out on school altogether…" Sasuke suggested quietly. "Give us a better chance to talk…" Sasuke couldn't help but think through this whole thing in his head as he spoke. How strange was it…that he hadn't seen Naruto in five years and yet they were able to talk so easily…as if they'd never really been apart, yet somehow, Sasuke felt closer to Naruto…_shit that doesn't even make sense…_

"Would be nice if we could…" Naruto whispered back.

"I suppose it would be a bit unreasonable," Sasuke sighed, his voice suddenly a little raspy, and he coughed as he pulled his hands away from Naruto's. He turned aside, a hand covering his mouth, as Naruto's blonde brows knitted together and his hand reached out but he suddenly decided against it. Instead he reached for his backpack and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Here," He handed it to Sasuke who took only one glance at him before he accepted the bottle and drank it down, hoping that it would sooth the pain in his throat. He let out exasperated breath and passed the bottle back to Naruto with a nod of thanks.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you alright?"

"Hai, Iruka-sensei." Sasuke said with one last cough as his eyes met with the deep caring ones of the teacher as he'd entered the classroom. "I'm fine now, just a little cough."

"Okay, but if there are any more problems with it, don't hesitate to go and see the nurse, she might have something to help." Iruka smiled, raising his eyebrows apologetically as he usually did. Sasuke nodded to the teacher, before looking back to Naruto, whom he noticed gazing out of the window with an almost unreadable expression upon his face.

"Thank-you, Naruto," Sasuke said quietly with a weak smile as he sat back up straight, he lowered his arms back down onto the desk, catching once more a glimmer of sorrow in Naruto's eyes. Sasuke didn't like that look.

"It's the least that I can do," Naruto said…_since it's my fault in the first place_…

"So, how are you two this morning? Making friends?" Iruka smiled as he pulled out a few sheets of paper from the satchel he'd been carrying and set it down on the desk.

Naruto looked to Sasuke for the answers, but there was still a distant look in his eyes, one that maybe was only mirrored by Sasuke's. "Yeah, making friends." Sasuke told Iruka-sensei, knowing that was what he wanted to hear.

"That's always good. How are you this morning, Naruto-kun? Feeling better? Oh, and you too Sasuke, you weren't in school after lunch yesterday either." Iruka pointed out as if it had only just occurred to him too.

"I'm feeling much better, thank-you, sensei." Naruto said, still not really looking at Iruka, feeling some sort of guilt swimming inside him, he could already see how much of a disaster this could become if he allowed himself to slip up ahead of a teacher again, especially after yesterday morning, he'd been in pieces.

"That's good hear, Naruto-kun," Iruka smiled as he shuffled some papers. "And Sasuke-kun, how about you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sasuke replied rather bluntly with a nod of the head.

Suddenly, things felt like they had become rather tense between the two of them, and even more so as the classroom began to fill with students. Sasuke said goodbye to Naruto as he went over to take his seat at the opposite side of the room with a still arguing Shikamaru and Kiba.

Sasuke watched Naruto go, and look over to him as he sat down and he knew at once that the feeling deep within him was anticipation, the next chance he would have to speak to Naruto again would be lunchtime, but at least then he could spend lunch and the lesson after with him…inwardly he was smiling, he couldn't believe that it was happening, he still hadn't really gotten his head around it, he felt that somehow he would wake up at any moment now and it would have all been a dream. But he couldn't have been more thankful at the fact that if he was dreaming he was in deep slumber. He'd never been so happy to sleep for so long.

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Sasuke stared out of the classroom window readying himself for the bell to chime…yet all he could hear in his ears was the sound of the ticking clock, but every time he checked it seemed as though it hadn't even moved.

Depressed and discouraged, Sasuke looked towards his partner who was still busy looking through the equations, and Sasuke wondered how he could have been stuck with a partner like Akimichi, Chouji of all people. He glanced towards the teacher, not sure whether to thank him or curse him for making him and the potato-chip munching student partners. _Maybe it was for the best?_ Sasuke mused, feeling the eyes that were upon him from around the classroom, stares that he usually tended to ignore.

"Is something the matter, Uchiha-san?" Sasuke made eye contact with the teacher, his face remained glacial and he looked back down to his work, not about to reply to the teacher's question.

Time just seemed to be moving too slowly, Naruto believed the same thing too. It was and information-technology lesson so it wasn't so bad since he didn't have to do much aside from follow all these different formula's, but every time he looked up to the clock, it seemed to be the same. Lesson one and two had gone by slowly as well, but that time it was just plain murderous, and right before lunch as well.

Naruto was left to his own thoughts again as he went about going over the sheet that the teacher had given him. He couldn't help but have his thoughts wonder as they usually did, and that time, like many times before it - he could not help but think about his situation with Sasuke…_did I do the right thing? Not only for me…but for him?_ Naruto sighed. _What happens if Orochimaru finds out about him…?_

There it was. The chime that signalled the end of third lesson and the beginning of lunch. Naruto was out of the class room quickly; truthfully he hadn't really noticed that he'd been so quick to leave, he came to the lunch line, found a simple sandwich and a bottle of water and went to head outside. He stopped when he came to the doorway.

_Where would Sasuke be?_ Naruto questioned, his brows furrowed slightly at the thought of it. The school wasn't large, Naruto had realised that the first day he had arrived, so it shouldn't be too difficult to locate Sasuke, and yet, Naruto had no idea where to begin.

After a few more moments of contemplation, Naruto started over towards the tree beyond the courts and decided that he was better staying somewhere that Sasuke had seen him before, and as he came up over the field, sure enough there he was sat beneath the tree and waiting.

Naruto's eyes lit up as he saw Sasuke there waiting for him. Sasuke was watching him with careful eyes as he approached, there was a ghost of a smile upon his pale face, pink lips still slightly curled up to show for it.

"Come on, Naruto, I've been waiting for you."

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The next chapter will be much better - and Beta'd…hmmm…you don't have to review…unless you know - you wanna make me happy and tell me if you liked it or not, and yes - things WILL get better with them…and all those of you who want Orochimaru dead - well, you'll have to hold in there, you may be surprised (and pleased) by the outcome!!

So review!! (please??)


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter is weird, but I like it. I took me forever to write!! I'm soooo sorry about the wait:bows down: please forgive me!! I've been lazy….:sigh:

I can't say it won't happen again…but I can say we're actually getting somewhere now!! _Fufufufu_…

Enjoy! And it hasn't been beta'd so sorry about any mistakes…

On to chapter Eleven!!

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Chapter Eleven

The whole day had gone by rather wonderfully after that.

Naruto had watched Sasuke as he had left on the train; his mind seemed blank of everything else, only looking forwards to what the next day would bring them. He wondered how it would be. Nothing had been as he had expected so far, he hadn't realised that he was so weak…no, he knew he was weak, but he thought that he would have at least been stronger, he hoped that he could have protected Sasuke for a little bit longer, but he was too weak…he just didn't want to. He'd wanted to have Sasuke back…but was what he had done the wrong thing?

He had to face something that night, didn't he? Orochimaru was back, and Naruto knew that things would be as difficult as they always were…but he had Sasuke to go to now, he could find comfort in someone and forget _everything_ that ever happened to him whenever he wasn't with the dark-haired boy. It was like some dream, like it was all a wonderful dream.

He had arrived back at the mansion the same as any time he would have. He wasn't late, nor was he early, right on time, glad to see that as of yet, Orochimaru didn't seem to be home.

He ate a small dinner before he returned to his room, just to mull over the events of the day. A small smile toyed with his lips, occasionally curling at the corners and making him roll over to shove his face in his pillow. He could almost swear the he was laughing about it all, the whole insanity of it, the strangeness of it, the luck…he could never have asked for anything more.

Immediately he lifted his head from the pillow as his limbs shot through with fear. He felt the strings of his heart tug as his ears had heard the sound of the approaching car before his mind had even really registered it. Orochimaru was home already, and he'd barely had any time to get over what had happened that day.

Naruto hoped that Orochimaru wasn't in too good of a mood that evening or it would undoubtedly lead to more than enough pain for him, of course he would have to face it tonight…maybe only in a few minutes if Orochimaru would have it, but now Naruto knew that he could handle it more than ever.

_Ignorance is bliss. _He wondered if that could apply for his situation too.

Changing out of his school clothes Naruto went to wash before he put on a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt, able to hear footsteps ascending the stairs. All of the hairs stood on the back of his neck and his arms as he heard those gentle knocks upon the door. Naruto worried now, he hadn't spoken to Kyuubi since before the incident with Kabuto and then following the one with Sasuke, and no doubt he thought that Naruto was angry with him…Naruto _was_ angry with Kyuubi, of course he was, but surely Kyuubi knew that Naruto couldn't afford not to be friendly with him.

If it was the usual experiment then Orochimaru would attempt to know all of what had happened to Naruto over the few days through Kyuubi. Of course Naruto had every faith that Kyuubi would say nothing about Sasuke, Kyuubi after all was in the same boat as Naruto.

Whatever happened to Naruto, Kyuubi would feel the effects of, and vice versa - although somehow, whenever Kyuubi had control of Naruto's body he was significantly more powerful, as witnessed by Kabuto and also unfortunately by Sasuke little more than a few hours ago. Naruto still felt awful for that…it had been so uncalled for, but inside he knew that he had called out for Kyuubi's help, that he hadn't wanted to speak to Sasuke…he only wanted to frighten Sasuke away, when he'd only brought them together.

How much of a stupid idea had that been? And Sasuke was hurt wasn't he? _Of course he was…hurt because of me…_

"Naruto, you're home?" Came the voice from the other side of the door. Naruto had almost forgotten he'd heard the knock, and went over quickly, ruffling his hair with his fingers as he went over.

Latching onto the doorknob Naruto opened it and there stood the being of his nightmares. "Oh, so you are here as I thought. How was it without me, Naruto-kun? Lonely?"

Naruto nodded as Orochimaru entered the room passed him and looked over towards the backpack that Naruto had open upon the bed, some papers sticking out. Naruto had made sure that he hadn't taken anything of Sasuke's or with Sasuke's name or handwriting on it, in fact, he'd been very, very careful about it, not a single trace of Sasuke for Orochimaru to follow. Nothing.

"So, have you had your dinner yet?" Orochimaru glanced over his shoulder towards the slender figure of Naruto, whose eyes he was yet to be graced by. "No, of course not, you would have only just arrived home." He smiled, moving to stand ahead of Naruto with a hungry smirk upon his thin lips. "Go down and make yourself something to - actually no."

This made Naruto look up, a sinking feeling flooded through him, not that he was hungry, he might be soon - but that wasn't the problem, the glimmer in Orochimaru's devious golden eyes were telling Naruto to be fearful, and of course he was, he was more than fearful, Orochimaru had just thought of something to make all of it even worse.

"I think for our little session tonight we'll see what more that inner demon of yours can do, ne, Naruto-kun?" Orochimaru smiled, running his thumb along Naruto's jaw, lifting his face so that they looked upon one another. Naruto's eyes were void as those strange golden ones searched him for any kind of emotion, but there was nothing out of the usual there.

Sadness, emptiness, solitude, pain. All things that Orochimaru had put there himself, he was slightly disappointed but glad at the same time that he held such a hold over Naruto, and knew that it would always remain as such if he had his way.

"I mean, I already know that it favours blood. After what happened to Kabuto the other night, there's no doubt in my mind about that. No doubt at all." Orochimaru hissed, lowering his hand to his side, allowing for Naruto's head to drop. "So once I get it all set up downstairs, I'll come and fetch you, Naruto-kun. Stay in your room for the time being."

Naruto nodded his head, his throat suddenly dry as he watched the lips of his so-called guardian curl into a smirk before he headed out of the room. Naruto listened subconsciously to the sounds of his footsteps as they faded away before his knees gave way beneath him. A defeated sigh escaped his lips. It was almost as if he was bored of it all, and sure enough he was more than bored.

_Please…I know you can hear me…don't say anything about Sasuke…nothing that will relate to him at all…please, Kyuubi, when the time comes, if he asks you anything about school, leave out Sasuke entirely…you know how much he means to me, I know you do…so please…don't even lead on about him…about anyone…_

_**Don't worry, Naru. I hate that bastard as much as you do. I wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing about that Sasuke-kid.**_

_Thank-you, Kyuubi._

_**Don't sweat it. And I promise I won't do anything too bad tonight, okay? I'll just attack Orochimaru some…give him a taste of his own experiment…hehehe…**_

_Don't go too over the top…remember that he still doesn't know that we can talk with one another like this…_

_**And I doubt he will unless we tell him, Naru.**_

"I know…" Naruto said quietly out loud, already feeling the aching in his muscles in anticipation of what was to come. He felt the straining muscles of his arms and legs felt the prickly-heat as it surged through his lithe frame.

_**We can do this, Naru! We've swapped places before.**_

_I know…but he uses that damn serum…it hurts…and we can just swap places so easily without all of that pain…that's the worst part of it…_

_**Yeah, sure is. You know I feel it too…it burns.**_

_Yeah…exactly…_ Naruto sighed once again, bringing his knees up to his chest; it was already time for the waiting to begin. Maybe the waiting was the worst part after all?

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Orochimaru circled the chamber once more, checking all of the locks on the door once again. A smirk appeared upon his lips as his eyes glanced once more over his possession. Naruto lay - as he had become accustomed to - upon the cold metal table, eyes blank and looking up to the white ceiling above, his eyes void of any light.

"You know the drill, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru smirked, snaking closer to his target, holding a syringe filled with a gluey looking crimson liquid.

Naruto gently shut his eyes, feeling the cold pale fingers as they ran up his inner forearm, tightening the straps around his wrists and biceps. He felt entirely restrained as he usually did whenever tied down like that. Just like an animal. His breathing was shallow, so very shallow; it was difficult to breathe with the straps so tight across his chest.

He waited just a little longer; he knew that was all it would take. Although Orochimaru liked to torment Naruto, there was a limit to how much he could stand too. He wanted to see his possession do what he'd been working so hard on for so long, he wanted to see the power that he'd managed to store within that vessel. Naruto had never really come to terms with it - _what_ he was. He knew it…but he'd never understood.

Naruto readied himself as he felt the scrape of the metal against the flesh of his throat; he anticipated it, remembering the feeling as nothing uncommon. It would be the same as the last time or the time before that…except now he had more secrets to protect. He trusted Kyuubi, there was far more hate within that part of himself, so much more of himself that wanted to piss Orochimaru off. He would never sell up Naruto. He would gain nothing from it - well - as far as Naruto knew.

As Naruto's thoughts drifted as they sometimes did, he felt the syringe as the metal plunged into the flesh of his throat. He took a deep breath, his eyebrows knitting together as the felt the pressure of the liquid as it was plunged into his veins.

He'd held back for as long as he could, but as the liquid thundered through his veins setting his body and limbs on fire he couldn't stand it. The pain was too much. The straps strained and dug into his sore flesh as she struggled against the force that held him in place, only wanting to wrap his arms around himself to make the pain go away, but such a thing would not happen. Not yet anyway.

His eyes opened broadly, shot through with blood, pupils nothing but slits as a furious and pained cry broke out from his throat. The cry was an echo of a growl and held the remains of a human yell as the pain finally showed itself.

Orochimaru watched his specimen closely as it writhed around upon the cold metal table. Naruto's head tilted back as the strap across the chest tore away and lifted from the table as if his heart was attempting to tear itself out of his chest. The Snake watched, filled with amusement, it never seemed to lose its thrill, the screaming and the growling as the creature he'd been working on for years once again showed itself. He felt like such a proud father to have created such a creature…and resented those who had shunned his research and intellect.

Naruto was superhuman now thanks to him. A part of him was meant for killing, a creature who loved to tear with those powerful elongated fingernails, a creature who stalked prey in total silence, watchful with burning crimson eyes that saw incredibly even in the blackest of night. Naruto was almost perfection. Built to kill and to cause death and pain, created for solitude, adapt to loneliness and pain…_almost perfect_.

"All you have left is a human heart." Orochimaru said out loud, listening to the moans and the heavy breathing that escaped Naruto's lips. His golden eyes broadened in excitement as the lithe frame of the boy became sturdier, as the markings on his face became darker and more prominent, he couldn't miss those wonderful elongated canines as his teeth gritted together in order to hold in the crying.

"A simple human heart. You're broken enough, aren't you, Naruto-kun? I've done well in making you feel entirely useless, haven't I?" Orochimaru grinned, the toothy smile spreading across his white face. "Oh, I know I have…I've just always wanted to hear it from your mouth, Naruto-kun. You never tell me how much of a wonderful guardian I am - but I know that's what you're thinking on the inside."

Orochimaru stood back and continued to watch this physical transformation, the red as it shot through his blonde hair, the fire as seemed to cling to the boy's olive flesh. He felt such a pride swell within him for this wonderful creation. Truly, it would be perfect as soon as he had managed to destroy the human within this vessel.

"You're everything I hoped you would be. You were so useless before, as a normal human, and now I am near to perfecting you after all these years. This wonderful serum allows me to speak with you…allows me to speak with the wonderful demon that I am proud to say that I have created…though I'll be looking for a second specimen soon, Naruto-kun…you may have a friend around soon…wouldn't that be nice?" Orochimaru walked closer as the struggling lessened, though Naruto's breathing remained heavy and thick, echoed with malice and strength and something other worldly.

"So…I wonder what our Naruto-kun has been up to while I've been away…will you tell me, Kyuubi no Kitsune…?"

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"_It was close this time, you nearly got caught."_

"I got it under control."

"_This time, Leader-sama is slightly anxious about the next hit."_

"Don't worry…I was simply caught off guard…it won't be the same the next time."

"_Yeah sure…it was unusual of you…you seemed a bit out of it all night. You sure you're okay?"_

"I am fine…I have to go now, Kisame…"

"_Sure. See you tomorrow."_

"Aa."

Itachi put the mobile phone aside on the kitchen counter and took a deep breath. He listened to the gentle almost silent footsteps of his brother as he walked along the landing. He'd heard him rustling around in his bedroom since he'd gotten back, it sounded as if he'd finally woken up from his bad dream.

He checked the time on his wrist watch and noted that it was nearly half past three in the morning. He reached back and pulled the tie out of his hair, his dark hair falling over his shoulders as he turned around to switch on the kettle, ready for a hot mug of tea.

The dim kitchen lights illuminated his face slightly; the darkened marks under his eyes the only thing that showed how tired he truly was. He listened carefully to the sounds around him, hearing Sasuke's footsteps as they stepped gently down the stairs, no doubt he was able to hear the kettle boiling and came down to see what it was…or that he'd been listening from the top of the stairs - as Itachi suspected.

"You're still awake."

"Aa…" Itachi replied as Sasuke entered the kitchen, stood at the archway, he looked as tired as Itachi felt. "I just got home."

"Oh." Was Sasuke's simple response, he didn't bother to waste his time in questioning Itachi again about his work, he had always avoided answering in the past and probably wouldn't submit to it now either.

"How are you feeling?" Itachi asked with his usual placid tone as Sasuke came and sat himself down at the kitchen table, crossing his arms ahead of him leisurely, dark eyes focusing on a spot on the table.

"Fine." Sasuke replied bluntly, when in reality he felt awful. He'd just woken from a nightmare like no other he'd had, he felt drained and so very tired, and the mark on his back…the one placed there by Orochimaru years ago, all so suddenly it had begun to act up, even right then it was throbbing like nothing else he'd felt.

It was such an ominous feeling, he didn't want to feel like that, yet even as he sat there with his brother he couldn't help but be aware of how he was hurting. Sasuke winced slightly and quickly his right hand went to massage his shoulder and neck feeling the throbbing tomoe mark beneath the black bed-shirt.

Itachi had noticed this movement, he knew about the marking, he couldn't have missed such a thing, yet he'd never suspected anything of it. Nothing particularly unusual had happened recently to make Sasuke react to it…except for the fact that about two nights ago now he'd come back home even more miserable than he had in a very long while.

Itachi was a big thinker. He also always immediately thought and prepared for the worst…and in that case the worst thing that could happen with Sasuke would be if he harmed himself again. Itachi felt a pain in his heart once again as he remembered the last time it had been so bad…he couldn't help but think rather negatively about these things…there was never any room for error when it came to Sasuke.

"Want some tea?" Itachi asked, still stood as he waited on the kettle. Sasuke looked up to Itachi through his dark bangs and thought on it. "Or Hazuki bought some flavoured hot-chocolate-things…I think there's a white-chocolate one. You like white-chocolate don't you?"

"They make white-hot-chocolate?" Sasuke mused and shrugged as he brought his arm back down onto the table.

"Apparently so." Itachi shrugged as he headed towards the cabinet above the kettle and pulled out the teabag and the sachets of different flavoured hot-chocolate.

"I'll try it if you do." Sasuke replied.

Itachi raised a usually motionless eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder towards his younger brother. He shrugged. "Why not…" Itachi mused as he drew out both sachets and put back the teabag.

"How's school going this term?" Itachi continued moments later as he stirred the mixture in the mugs. His attempts at starting conversations usually didn't succeed, but he thought he'd give it a go anyway, take Sasuke's mind off whatever he was thinking about.

Sasuke was tempted…but he couldn't give Itachi the satisfaction. Naruto was back, and Itachi didn't seem to know about him…about anything in fact - which was a change. Sasuke wasn't sure how Itachi would take it if he knew that Naruto was in Konoha…would he think that it was a good thing that he and Sasuke were back together? Or would he try and keep them apart? Sasuke didn't want to take the risk, so he had decided to remain very much silent about it.

"The same as last term." Sasuke replied bluntly, watching his brother's movements from the corner of his eye as he set the mug of hot-chocolate ahead of him before sitting himself opposite.

"So you're still going out with your friends?" Itachi commented, he knew the kind of things that Sasuke got up to while he wasn't being watched, he knew that Sasuke usually got into some trouble - and the fact the he'd been escorted home in a police car on more than one occasion had given him further ideas of what he usually did when away from home.

"Yeah…why not…" Sasuke shrugged, holding the warm mug between his hands, watching the chocolaty white liquid swirl within.

"You're happy then?"

_What a random question…_Sasuke thought to himself, mentally rolling his eyes. No matter how many times he could answer this question, it always seemed to be answered the same way. So Sasuke did the same as always, he shrugged and nodded his head. "Yeah, as happy as I'm going to get." _Actually I'm really happy, thanks for asking, jerk - and it's no thanks to you of course._

"That's good."

"Suppose it is." Sasuke replied rather coldly, attempting still to avoid eye contact with Itachi - which he seemed to be rather successful at.

Itachi's lips curled into a smirk…Sasuke was certainly Sasuke no matter what happened to him.

"You haven't touched your drink." Sasuke noticed with a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Itachi raised his shoulders in a barely noticeable shrug.

"Neither have you."

"Oh. So I haven't."

"You first." Itachi challenged.

"On three." Sasuke argued.

Itachi looked down at the mug and the white frothy mixture within, he barely liked hot-chocolate…so what had possessed him to agree to this? His dark eyes met with Sasuke's and in a silent count the both of them lifted the mugs to their lips, still watching each other intently before the both of them carefully took a sip.

Lowering the mugs back down to the table, both of them still watching one another closely as if eagerly waiting for the other to react. Then once again with the same movements, the mugs were pushed ahead of them until they pretty much met at the centre of the table.

"Never again." Sasuke sighed, swallowing hard, realising that he much preferred the _real_ thing.

"I agree."

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Sasuke was out of the house sooner than usual once again, he'd even been up early enough to watch Itachi's silver convertible pull out of the driveway - which was very unusual. Hazuki was up and about as she usually was and nearly choked on her morning cup of tea when she saw Sasuke enter the kitchen.

"Well, to what do I owe this honour?" She laughed before going right ahead to making Sasuke something nice to eat. "This is a bit unusual for you, to be up this early. What's wrong, Suki? Couldn't sleep?"

He shrugged before he took his seat at the kitchen table, watching Hazuki as she went about beginning breakfast for him. He yawned before he even bothered to think about answering her. "Just felt like getting out of bed…"

"_Oh_." Hazuki grinned like a Cheshire cat as she held her back to the dark haired youth before breaking the eggs. "So…looking to meet a young lady are we?"

"What? _No_!" Sasuke was quick to deny, gaining an excited giggle from his soon to be sister-in-law. He felt suddenly agitated as he sat back in the seat, dropping his shoulders as he rolled his eyes rather typically.

"_Oh_, I see…" Hazuki mused, still holding her back towards him. "Then a _male_ friend of yours perhaps?"

"I really don't like where you're going with this." Sasuke glared, folding his arms neatly across his lap. Hazuki giggled again.

"I always saw you as the type, Suki-chan!" Hazuki turned around, stars in her eyes as she held onto the cooking pan and spatula in separate hands, looking upon Sasuke with a bright grin upon her quaint heart-shaped face. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

"_Uh_…what are you talking about, exactly…?" Sasuke wondered nervously, restraining the urge to rub his tired eyes, unsure whether he wanted to hear the answer.

Hazuki was still beaming as she answered. "Well…I'm sure I'll find out soon enough…"

"_Wait_ - Hazuki-chan -,"

"It's perfectly alright, sweetie!" She declared, turning back to what she was doing. "As long as you're happy then your aniki and I will be."

"_Er_…what?" Sasuke felt confusion build up within him…and Hazuki was certainly confusing enough without that added on top.

"Do you want fish?" Hazuki asked, suddenly changing the subject. "Or is the miso soup, rice and egg enough for you this morning?"

Too confused to really answer anything else, Sasuke - with a slack jaw nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah sure that's fine…"

He left waving Hazuki good-bye and headed off to the train-station, once again fully willing to wait at the crowded station, knowing that Naruto would walk passed it on the way to school. If he had to put up with Sakura again then he would gladly do so.

So he waited.

And he waited.

And waited.

It was even raining. _How terribly cliché…_Sasuke sighed as he lifted the hood of the hoody he wore beneath his school jacket. The whole scene around him was bleak and wet, which was unusual since they'd been having such wonderful weather, though now it seemed to fit his mood perfectly.

He felt a part of him aching as he sat there, still waiting as people ran around him with umbrellas and morning papers over their heads as the rain came down harder. Hinata had passed by too; she was walking with Neji that morning, the both of them beneath a plain black umbrella. Sasuke had half hoped that maybe he would see Naruto with Hinata, but he had no such luck, Sasuke had already missed homeroom, and Naruto hadn't shown up.

Half way through lesson one, Sasuke appeared at the reception and signed in, not really giving much of an excuse for is late appearance, simply went to the lesson that he was supposed to be in, lost in a sort of daze as worry filled his every sense, limb and nerve.

_What if something happened to him? He said that Orochimaru was coming back…what if he did something to him? _

"Uchiha-san? Will you answer the question?"

Sasuke looked up to Genma-sensei, his eyes simply blank of anything and everything. He shook his head. "No." He answered bluntly, returning his gaze back down to the pattern on the desk. Genma-sensei raised an eyebrow and sighed as a small uproar of laughter emerged from different parts of the classroom.

"Thank-you, Uchiha…" Genma-sensei sighed, realising that he should have known better than to ask him.

Sasuke hadn't heard the rest of it; his mind was too focused on other things to even really care anymore for what was the teacher was saying or anyone around him for that fact. He couldn't stand the worry any longer.

Making himself seem comfortable, Sasuke sat at his desk in lesson two with the book held ahead of him as if reading the novel like everyone else in the classroom was, the voice of Anko-sensei reciting the lines as they went along, explaining certain things about the text and language used before continuing.

Sasuke was in a complete daze. Sakura noticed that he hadn't once turned the page since they'd begun reading the novel. She watched him closely from the corner of her eye, catching the stern coldness in his eyes, and the crude stoic-_ness_ of his stature that day…he looked slightly worse than he usually did…although she would hardly admit that out-loud…of course he looked wonderful and handsome, to her, he always would…yet once again that morning there was something not exactly right about his brooding.

Tempted to question him about it, Sakura watched him a little harder, wondering if maybe that once he might look her way, yet she still had no luck, he didn't turn or even bat an eyelash. This continued throughout the lesson. Sakura was near to rolling a ball of paper and throwing it his way, but somehow she doubted very much that even hitting him would have any kind of affect upon him.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered delicately, keeping a watchful eye out of Anko-sensei…although she seemed to be going on a bit up front about a past relationship she'd had that was similar to the one in the novel…that smirk upon her face as always.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered again, reaching out her arm ready to snap him out of the trance he was in if necessary.

Sakura gasped and jumped back into her seat as she witnessed the sudden change in Sasuke's eyes and as out of the blue he moved so suddenly clenching his eyes shut as his right arm latched onto his left shoulder.

"_Fuck…_" Sasuke felt his whole left side burning from that same point on his shoulder…it was far worse than it had been that morning when he'd woken from that nightmare. His dark eyes were clenched shut as he sat forward in his chair, his free hand balling into a first upon the desk.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Not…now, Sakura…" he forced through gritted teeth, before a pained gasp passed his lips that drew the rest of the eyes in the classroom upon him. Whispers started up, but Sasuke couldn't hear them above the sound of his heartbeat like a drum in his head.

Anko-sensei raised an eyebrow and looked over to where Sasuke sat hunched over his desk. "Somethin' the matter, Uchiha?" she asked, folding her arms as she approached the desk.

Sasuke did not hear her voice, but his whole left side was throbbing, his whole body, aching and a stabbing pain shot through his limbs, causing him to cry out. The classroom was busy with commotion, and Sakura was beside herself with worry, Anko-sensei raised an eyebrow and leant closer to Sasuke's desk.

Sasuke felt people closing in around him; he held back another gasp of pain before getting up swiftly from his chair, fumbling clumsily through the desks and people as he rushed towards the classroom door. Sakura chased after him but was held back by Anko-sensei who did not really seem to understand the severity of the incident.

"But - sensei!"

"Neah…sit down, Haruno…he'll come back in his own time…_now_! As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by a whimpering teenage boy - this relationship I was having…"

Sasuke found his way bouncing off lockers in the corridor as she shuffled nimbly along, biting his lips in an attempt to stop him from calling out. He gripped on harder, the throbbing had worsened - as if that could be possible - yet he couldn't understand why on earth it was happening…since that night it had never pained him so much since it had been placed there years ago.

Naruto stood with his hands placed neatly in his trouser pockets as Orochimaru spoke to the young lady behind the desk at the reception. He kept his eyes mostly focused on the ground ahead of him, his eyes not so dark and empty as maybe they should be after the night that he'd had…but the surprise in the morning…it was a very pleasing one. He could hardly contain in his contentment.

He hoped that he hadn't worried Sasuke too much, knowing that he had shown up late for school…even Orochimaru had offered to drive him in…but not only because of the rain, but for another reason, one that had not only made Naruto happy, but _very_ happy…although he would wait until he was to see Sasuke to tell him all about it.

Orochimaru turned to Naruto after he'd signed something, and placed his hand upon Naruto's shoulder to gain his attention. Naruto turned towards him and looked up slightly to the white face of his so-called guardian, noting the usual wide grin that decorated his face.

"I'll leave you to it then, Naruto-kun." He began, and Naruto was listening…for a few moments until he saw someone at the head of the corridor…who he was almost certain was Sasuke…his eyes went slightly broad as Orochimaru continued to speak, though thankfully, Sasuke was behind Orochimaru…but Naruto could clearly see that something was very wrong.

"…so that's it…remember to keep that phone with you, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru had continued to speak as Naruto had been watching Sasuke struggle up the corridor…he'd even fallen through the door into the boys toilets…Naruto felt his heart thudding in his chest…if Orochimaru had even turned around just once…then it all could have been over…

_**Focus, Naru! The Snake's talking to you…don't give it away…**_

_Right…thanks…_

"I will." Naruto replied, lowering his head, Orochimaru's cold hand squeezed the back of his neck gently, one finger gently massaging that sore spot on his neck in a taunting manner.

"Good, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru grinned, moving slightly closer to Naruto, whose heart was rising up his throat in a panic. "Good-bye."

Naruto nodded his head, eager for Orochimaru to just leave, just leave so that he could go and check up on Sasuke…_just go, just go, just go…_

Once Orochimaru had left the reception and was back outside, heading towards his car, Naruto took one look around before he ran as quickly as he could to the head of the corridor and rammed into the door entering the boy's toilets.

"Sasuke? Sasuke?" Naruto called rushing passed the rows of sinks and towards the cubicles…three of the doors were shut. "Sasuke!" Naruto called out again, pushing open the doors; sure that no one else was in there aside from he and Sasuke, since he hadn't seen Sasuke leave.

Sasuke lifted his head from slumping against his chest, and looked up from where he leant against the inside of the door to one of the cubicles. He was almost certain then that he had heard Naruto's voice…

The pain in his shoulder by now was steadily ebbing away, but his breathing was still heavy and uneven, the burning was yet to go away, his whole body now aching from the effects of whatever it was that had happened to him. Sasuke's mind was mostly blank as she leant there against the door, able to feel the coldness of the metal against his back through his still damp clothes. Obsidian eyes were blank as they opened; his brow still furrowed ever so slightly, the pain still apparent upon his features.

"Sasuke! Please answer me…"

_It is Naruto…_

"Naru…" one final jolt of pain shot through his limbs, he bit his lip harshly, his fingers sore from gripping on his shoulder so tightly.

Naruto came to the final closed cubical door and pressed his hand against it, but it did not budge. A sinking feeling filled him, his blue eyes broad as he held his hand against the cold metal. "Sasuke?" He said quietly. "Are you in there…?"

Naruto applied pressure to the door once more, and slowly the door began to open, though before it could open all the way, Sasuke fell out and landed against Naruto who caught him with open arms as relief washed over the both of them.

Naruto accepted Sasuke in a warm embrace, able to feel the dampness of his clothes and hair against his face and hands; he smiled as he pressed his face against Sasuke's cold cheek, feeling the other boys' fingers as they gripped onto his school jacket.

"Are you alright…?" Naruto whispered delicately, feeling the slight limpness of Sasuke's body as he leant against him for support. "What happened?"

"It's nothing…I'm fine now…" Sasuke replied quietly, still a little short of breath after he'd been holding it for so long. He felt so relieved now that Naruto was there with him…and he too seemed fine, Sasuke's lips curled up into a smile, suddenly relaxed, the pain ebbed away almost completely.

"It didn't look like nothing…" Naruto replied quietly. "What happened to you?"

Sasuke shook his head. "It doesn't matter…" he told Naruto, when what he really meant was _'I really don't know'._

"Sasuke -,"

"It's nothing, dobe…quit it…" Sasuke cut across, standing up a little sturdier, his fingers releasing their hold upon Naruto's jacket. Naruto frowned as he heard that old name being said again, having hoping that being called a 'dobe' would remain in the past.

"Where were you?" Sasuke suddenly asked, pulling himself out of Naruto's embrace, wanting to forget about the whole ordeal, though how he could even attempt to forget it was something insane…that pain he couldn't think to what on earth could have caused it, but it didn't matter now, Naruto was there.

"I wasn't very well when I woke up this morning." Naruto replied, realising that he was half lying to Sasuke…but he would still hold true to what he knew was right, he wouldn't allow for Sasuke to get involved with what happened to him, he wouldn't let it get in the way. "So Orochimaru drove me in…are you sure that you don't want to tell me what happened?"

"Are you okay now?" Sasuke asked, avoiding the subject of himself once again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." Naruto replied. "But you don't look it. Maybe you should go home, Sasuke, you don't look too well."

Sasuke smiled, lowering his head slightly, unconsciously rubbing his sore shoulder. "Maybe I should."

"You should." Naruto encouraged. "Where's your bag? I'll go and fetch it for you."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto, and looked up in the eye, catching a slight gleam in there that he recognised…it surprised him how much he could still remember about Naruto, even after all of their years apart. He was excited about something…surely it couldn't be about him leaving..?

"What is it?" Sasuke questioned, catching Naruto off guard, whose lips parted not really understanding the question.

"What is what?"

"You're excited about something…" Sasuke replied calmly with a gentle smile. "What is it?"

"Oh." Naruto nodded his head, placing his hands in his pants pockets. "I'm that easy to read, huh…?" he smiled, looking slightly down at the ground.

"Uh - yes." Sasuke smiled, moving to stand a little closer to Naruto who suddenly seemed to be too far away. "What is it?"

Naruto grinned broadly; the excitement building within him…maybe now _was_ the right time?

"Well…this morning, Orochimaru got a call from someone…he didn't sound too happy about it but he came up to me afterwards and told me something I never thought that I would hear." Naruto paused for a moment, frustrating Sasuke slightly. "Well…Kabuto is a little…er…_indisposed_ right now, so he's not at the mansion anymore and apparently won't be for a while…and Orochimaru has to go away. And he's leaving for _over_ a month."

"Shit." It didn't take Sasuke long to realise the extent of those words. He could clearly understand the reason why Naruto was excited. "That means that - shit - that means a lot of things…"

"I know." Naruto grinned, almost nervously scratching the back of his head.

"Come home with me."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"You heard me. Come home with me now."

"Wait - right now?"

"Yes _right now_." Sasuke replied, furrowing his eyebrows at Naruto's slowness.

Naruto thought about this for a moment…and a moment was all it would take for him to make up his mind. "Tell me where your bag is."

"81, Literature - Anko-sensei's room, down the corridor." Sasuke replied with a grin, reaching forwards as he gently touched the back of Naruto's hand with his fingers.

"Okay…you go and sign out or whatever it is that you do here…and I'll go and fetch your bag." Naruto grinned, excitement once again welling up inside him as he took a step closer to Sasuke, turning around his hand so that their palms touched.

"Sure." Sasuke grinned. "I'll meet you at the gate."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"You want something to drink or eat?" Sasuke asked after unlocking the front door and entering the house, showing Naruto in ahead of him.

"No, I'm fine for now." Naruto replied, taking off his bag and dropping it alongside Sasuke's at the foot of the stairs, then followed him through the lounge and into the kitchen, eyes passing over photographs on the walls and furniture on his way through. He saw a few old ones of Sasuke and his family…over all the lot of them looked pretty miserable, and really quite traditional, most of them wearing kimonos and stood outside a rather traditional looking mansion. Naruto couldn't say he was surprised.

"So you found the photographs." Sasuke noted as he appeared back from the kitchen, a glass of water in hand holding some dissolvable aspirin in the other, ready to place in the glass, hoping it would help his aching body.

Naruto looked over to him and nodded his head, glancing over at the newer ones, seeing Sasuke stood - looking rather glum - with another two people. One of them was a man, he seemed to resemble Sasuke somewhat - or the other way round - he recognised him from the other pictures…but not only that…Naruto knew that face he'd met that person before he was certain of it.

"That's Hazuki and my aniki…" Sasuke said, not really sounding exactly pleased. Naruto caught this tone and looked towards him slightly wide-eyed. Sasuke wasn't looking at the photograph and had turned away heading back to the kitchen as he continued. "Hazuki's my aniki's fiancé…they'll be getting married once they have the baby…I live with them here."

"Your aniki…" Naruto voiced finally, with a sinking feeling inside of him as he looked at the picture. "But…I thought…"

"Neah…he's fine…alive and well…" Sasuke didn't exactly sound pleased. He went back to the kitchen after he'd drunk down the aspirin, and came back out moments later where Naruto's eyes were still lingering over the photographs…mostly of the family portraits.

"I…I…" Naruto began, feeling a slight tightness in his throat. "It must be nice to have these photographs of you together." Naruto smiled. "You and your family…even though…"

"Yeah. It is." Sasuke agreed, walking up behind Naruto and looking over the photo's with him. "I guess I sort of take it for granted."

Sasuke took a careful step closer to Naruto, until he could see over his shoulder…though he'd just drunk, his throat was suddenly dry. Naruto felt how close Sasuke was behind him, he could almost feel the rise and fall of his chest, he could feel Sasuke's warm breath upon the back of his neck, and he looked down away from the photographs on the wall, and steadily turned around.

Sasuke was stood so close to him, Naruto found himself leaning back slightly over the table he stood against, placing his hands either side of himself upon the table he held himself where he was, looking Sasuke carefully in the eyes, that obsidian gaze looking back through equally as heavy bangs.

In one fluid action Sasuke was as close to Naruto as he had been before, he was breathing so carefully, looking so closely upon Naruto's slightly parted lips. Naruto relished at the satisfaction he felt as Sasuke placed his hand gently upon the side of his face, at the strange calm that spread throughout him like any time before…except that time, there was so much more there.

Naruto pulled himself into Sasuke, gripping onto his jacket and brought their faces closer, watching Sasuke's lips closely, wondering…just wondering what it would be like to kiss him…_just a small kiss…_

With a gentle hand movement, Sasuke brushed Naruto's hair away from his eyes, reaching out with his other hand and wrapping it around Naruto's narrow waist, wondering the same thing himself…_a small kiss…_

"I…really have missed you…" Sasuke whispered gently, the situation seemed to call for it, their breaths mingled, their lips so very close. Naruto gently closed his eyes; Sasuke did the same…ready to do something that maybe was what he had wanted to do from the very start.

"I'm just going to take it through to the kitchen!"

Sasuke recognised that voice as Hazuki's.

He hadn't even heard the car pull up, let alone the door open. He opened his eyes and moved quickly away from Naruto as the lounge door opened and Hazuki walked in backwards with arms filled with bags. Naruto felt his heart lunge into his throat and turned away also as the door had opened, that sinking feeling had returned.

"_GAH_!" Hazuki turned around and nearly slipped up as she saw Sasuke stood there. Her hazel eyes went wide before she realised who it was. "Oh, dear me…Suki, what one Earth are you doing here? And who's your pretty little friend?" Hazuki noticed the blonde stood to her left and smiled broadly, her eyes moving between the awkward looking pair. She grinned like a cat as she stood there, watching them.

"_Hehe_…did I interrupt something?" She bit her lip, but she couldn't keep the grin from her face as she looked over them, seeing the slight of pink in the cheeks of the blonde she was yet to be introduced to.

"_No…_no, you didn't interrupt anything." Sasuke said, finding his voice at last as Hazuki suddenly heaved her bags into Sasuke's arms.

Naruto turned around and put his hands in his pockets, looking down at his feet as Hazuki approached him. "I am Juuna Hazuki, soon to be Uchiha Hazuki," She beamed. "And you are?"

"Naruto…Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, still feeling slightly awkward, he flinched slightly as she boldly took his hand from his pocket and took it in hers as Sasuke - armed with bags of God-only-knows-what - dropped them onto the kitchen table through the archway, vanishing out of sight for a moment.

Hazuki seemed to be closely inspecting his palm, Naruto didn't know what to make of it, but he was closely watching her, still able to feel his heartbeat racing, wondering if she felt it too. She looked over his palm, stroking it gently, making him feel even more uncomfortable before she looked up to his blank blue eyes and smiled, a little softer that time.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Naruto-kun." She said calmly. "Now, Suki-chan." She dropped his hand almost at once and turned her all-mighty pregnant forces upon the other teenager. "Explain why neither of you are in school."

Sasuke stood in the archway and glanced over to Naruto through his bangs. With a calm shrug he replied. "I wasn't feeling well. Naruto's a friend from school; he offered to walk me home. Now we're gonna bunk off school for the rest of the day and I'm gonna take him to Itchiraku."

"_Oh_?" Hazuki said with raised eyebrows. Sasuke nodded his head and folded his arms, seeing the nervous look in Naruto's eyes, still able to feel his body tingling from that wonderful closeness before they were…_interrupted_.

"Oh, okay then!" Hazuki grinned. "Have fun, and you'll have to take the train 'cos I'm still using your car. My okaa-san is still out there waiting for me to come back so we can go out again. I only stopped by to drop off the first batch."

"_Sure_…we'll walk, it's within distance." Sasuke pointed out. "Come on, Naruto." He continued as he walked passed Hazuki towards Naruto who seemed to be quite perplexed by the situation. "We'll go and change first so we don't get too many looks…you can lend some of my clothes."

Naruto nodded his head, his jaw still a little slack as his eyes followed Sasuke. Naruto bowed his head to Hazuki who was still beaming at them before following Sasuke out to the hallway and up the staircase to his bedroom.

"Is…is she usually…like that?" Naruto questioned after he'd entered Sasuke's room. Sasuke sighed and nodded his head as she shut the door before looking back to Naruto's more than nervous eyes…he seemed to be oddly shaken.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked approaching him…though for some reason held back when he was about to touch Naruto, suddenly nervous himself, realising that his heart was beating so very quickly.

Naruto smiled and nodded his head. He felt fine, just a little strange…he wasn't used to witnessing things like that…or to what had happened - or was about to - before Hazuki had walked in.

"I'm perfectly fine." He smiled, crossing his arms, looking more like he was hugging himself than anything, avoiding eye contact with Sasuke…maybe even swaying. "I…I just…"

_Why did you back away…?_

"Do you want to go out? Or we can stay here…" Sasuke suggested, able to feel those same strings painfully tugging at his heart. "Because we can stay…we can talk some more…if you want?"

Naruto smiled and nodded once again. "Yeah. Yeah I'd like that."

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Am I an evil person?

Don't worry, by next chapter you'll love me…also…the rating might have to go up…haha…yeah…

Who wants to guess what Itachi does for a living?? Go on!! Guess!! Haha!!

And what about guessing what the hell is up with Sasuke's seal-thingy? You know the tattoo thingy that Orochimaru-sama left there??? GUESS! Haha…I'm a little too passionate today…lol.

Yesh, well grope the review button, you know you want to!

SabakuKyuu17 3


	12. Chapter 12

I promised myself I wouldn't…and yet I did.

For those of you who want to read my pathetic excuse for a lemon - go ahead! Cos I've written one…at the end of the chapter…so _W__ARNING - LEMON_…I DO NOT WANT COMPLAINTS!!

The lemon is the _last_ part of this chapter - so you can skip it easily if you want too xD …

**And don't be mean to me!!**

This chapter _hasn't_ been beta'd - I've read over it but that counts for nothing these days so…_bleh_…also! I dedicate this chapter to my beta - _**ASOTA**_ - hope school life is going well for you!!

This chapter is actually got serious SasuNaru in it…lol…SO ENJOY!! BE HAPPY!!

_**I raise this chapter to an M!!**_

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Chapter Twelve

Naruto looked out of his bedroom window, a brand new morning, and no Orochimaru. It was a wonderful feeling.

It was the second morning he'd woken without Orochimaru there, he felt refreshed by it…he'd even been able to stay around with Sasuke a little longer, which make him happy. That was probably the best word to describe it. _Happy_. He had even managed to get through a day of school without any fears; it was such a nice feeling.

To smile when he looked in the mirror and first thing in the morning too, Naruto was grinning, bubbling with excitement for the day - well night - ahead. Sasuke and him had been together lunchtime the day before and had been approached by Kiba as they'd sat there talking. Naruto hadn't spoken much, and honestly, neither had Sasuke, though Kiba had been intent that the both of them come to the gig that the _NinDogs_ would be having that Friday night at the _Wreck._

Naruto couldn't think of anything more unusual. He'd never been to anything like that before, ever…and at first he was slightly apprehensive. Sasuke had looked so too, he'd passed his eyes over Naruto, but eventually he had agreed, telling Kiba that they would be there.

After a short while of reassurance, Naruto had felt a little more comfortable with the idea. Sasuke hadn't really said much…well not really, but he had told Naruto about the fun that he had, had at these gigs…also that it would be a nice change of scenery. Sasuke had sounded more as though he was trying to convince himself than anything.

Now though, Naruto was excited. After school he would come back to the mansion and have food before heading over to Sasuke's where they would hang out for a while. Naruto loved it.

Hinata greeted him that morning again on the bridge at usual. He waved at her that morning with a smile, she was just as timid as usual, and left him with a small blush and a softly spoken greeting. She had noticed his slightly more upbeat attitude that morning, which had made her feel a little more comfortable around him, his usual grim aura somehow banished that morning to make way for a fresher sunnier attitude that suited him more.

"Ohayo, Sasuke." Naruto said with a smile as both he and Hinata reached the train station where once again Sasuke was stood waiting with Sakura. The both of them made their way over, Sakura stood a little too close to Sasuke for Naruto's liking, but he brushed it aside, he wouldn't let that morning be spoilt by something as trivial as that.

"Ohayo." Sasuke approached Naruto, noticing at once the bright sparkle that had taken hold in his eyes. His lips curled up at the corners as Sakura walked passed him and joined with Hinata while Naruto bid them a good-morning.

"All smiles this morning, dobe?" Sasuke questioned, a careful smirk tugging at his lips.

"Naturally." Naruto replied. "Teme."

Sasuke smirked, a small laugh passing his lips as he dropped his head forward slightly. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yeah, it wasn't bad." Naruto replied…it was a little cold when I woke up this morning though…I don't know how to use the boiler to switch it on…" he continued truthfully with a shrug.

"Well its better than not sleeping at all. I swear that I'm insomniac." Sasuke joked.

"Gaara was an insomniac." Naruto said suddenly.

"Gaara?" Sasuke questioned, raising a brow at the unfamiliar name.

"Mhm…when I was in Suna, that's when I met Gaara. I don't think he'd slept for years." He continued, remembering the face of the red-haired boy he'd made friends with while in Suna…though maybe _friend_ was too much of a strong word for it. Naruto has just been made to sit next to Gaara since no one else would.

"_Years_? Wow..." Sasuke began. "Was he your friend or something?"

"Or something." Naruto replied with a grin and a gentle carefree shrug. "We used to do projects together. He didn't have many friends…for some reason a lot of the people there were scared of him. Even his brother and sister wouldn't really have anything to do with him."

"Scared of him?" Sasuke repeated. "Do you know why?"

"Not a clue. He wasn't exactly too friendly himself, though. He'd glare at people…it was reasonably funny at times…but he just seemed to frighten people away."

"But not you."

"I didn't see why he should. He tried though…I figured at first he just hated people…but soon enough he actually began to talk to me." Naruto told Sasuke, tilting his head slightly still trying to remember Gaara, though to be honest the memory of him was still rather vivid in his mind. He could remember those pupil-less eyes as they watched him carefully as if monitoring his every move. Gaara seemed like such a careful individual, he didn't seem to get attached to anything either…unlike Naruto who did even though he tried not to.

"Did you get close to him?" Sasuke wondered, feeling overly curious. He had been far more inclined to ask and tell Naruto things recently. He had figured that he wanted to know all that he could about Naruto, so that they could be as close as they had been before.

"I don't think so…I wasn't there for very long. But he always talked about serious things…well if he ever talked. So I guess I found out something's about him because of that." Naruto replied. He didn't think that he knew all that much about Gaara, but he had met Gaara's distant siblings and his aggressive father, and to some extent could maybe understand why Gaara didn't feel loved. It was because he wasn't.

"Maybe we could learn something from that…?" Sasuke shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets before he turned around so that he was stood ahead of Naruto and walking backwards along the path.

"Like what? To speak about the serious things in life…?" Naruto laughed, it was a small laugh, but it was still a laugh. "I don't want to."

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point." Sasuke nodded, heading back to stand at Naruto's side. "It's just sometimes I think that we're avoiding the serious things."

Naruto nodded, his blue eyes looking down. "Yeah…I know what you mean."

"Maybe we could talk about…well…about what happened sometime…you know…"

Naruto continued walking but inside something felt as if it had stopped. He looked up to Sasuke and back at the ground as he'd unconsciously crossed his arms, remembering those scars that adorned his inner forearm. He wondered what Sasuke would say if he knew about what he had done?

"Naruto?"

Naruto looked up again, his eyes widening as they focused on Sasuke. "Yeah?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He realised that the subject was slightly taboo, but he didn't want to leave it…he wanted Naruto to know what had happened that day five years ago when he hadn't come back. He wanted Naruto to know everything…but whenever Sasuke wanted to bring it up he found that he just couldn't.

"Nothing…" Sasuke continued on along the path. Naruto watched him; his blank eyes had suddenly lost their lustre. Naruto had been so looking forward to such a nice day, and all so suddenly he felt as if he'd been dragged back down again. And it had been Sasuke who had done it.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto looked down at his wrist watch. It was nearly five o'clock; the time he said he would meet Sasuke at his house. And of course there he was right on time, having being too eager to do anything else aside from want to get there.

He looked up at the house, and then down at the two cars that were in the drive. He wondered if both Hazuki-san and Sasuke's aniki were home. Walking up to the house Naruto outstretched a hand to knock the door, and after only three knocks the door was opened.

"Ah, Naruto-kun." Hazuki grinned. "Aw dear…Sasuke told me that you'd be coming over…sorry my fault I sent him to run an errand for me." She showed him into the house. "He shouldn't be much longer than five minutes though, here," she directed him into the living room. "You sit in here and wait for him, I'll just be upstairs sorting out the laundry, he wont be a moment, okay, sweetie?"

Naruto nodded, his mouth opening and closing, not sure of anything else to say. He simply watched her leave before he could say anything more and remained as he was where she had placed him on the sofa.

Naruto pursed his lips and once again looked around the room. His eyes passed once more over those wonderful photographs, the family ones that he was completely envious of. He didn't have anything like that left of his parents. Sitting back on the sofa Naruto took a deep nervous breath, for some reason he could feel himself shaking. It wasn't as if he hadn't been in Sasuke's house before was it…?

But before he knew it he had jumped up onto his feet as someone had entered the room from the kitchen.

Itachi looked through his glasses at the person who had suddenly sat up from the sofa. At once his dark eyes focused on the blonde…and knew him.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"It is you." Naruto took a step back after he'd analyzed this dark-haired man who had appeared before him in a shirt and jeans, his long black hair messily tied at the back of his head, rectangle rimmed spectacles balancing on his nose.

Naruto knew that he'd recognised him in those photos. This man had been the boy that had vanished from Orochimaru's hold the night that Sasuke had shown up. Sasuke's older brother. Naruto remembered him, remembered his silence and his glaring and his anger.

"I can't believe it's really you…" Naruto said it quieter, the look on the man's face was one of nothing, he didn't look as if he felt anything, his expression entirely blank.

"What are you doing here?" was Itachi's first question, his mind ran through all of the possibilities…and fear suddenly clutched at his body although it wasn't visible. All that he had worked for, all that he has aspired for…to keep Sasuke safe and here he was, Uzumaki Naruto, the boy that could ruin everything, not only for him and for Sasuke, but for his whole operation. _This means that Orochimaru is in Konoha…_he realised…_how could I get this to work for me_?

"I…I…" But for some reason Naruto couldn't get the words out.

"It's not me you should be intimidated by, Naruto." Itachi began. "Rather about what I know."

"And…and what do you know?" Naruto asked, his fists balled at his sides as he watched the older man with wide eyes.

"More than you."

Silence fell between them, and although Itachi's expression showed him as uncaring, Naruto could feel the power of his stare and the intensity of it…he was certain he could even see a slight tint of red to his deep black eyes. _What did Orochimaru do to you? Did he let you go…?_ Naruto questioned, keeping his lips tightly sealed.

"I didn't think that Orochimaru would be stupid enough to come back to Konoha." Itachi finally spoke up. "How long have you been here?"

"Why do you care?" Naruto found himself feeling defensive, although he had no idea why. He felt so very threatened by this man, he could feel his power and his strength, there was just something about him…"What did Orochimaru do to you?" He asked out loud so suddenly.

"That's none of your concern." Itachi replied calmly. "Answer the question."

Naruto shrugged. "About a week."

"How are you here?"

"What is this? An interrogation?"

"Something like that. Answer the question."

Naruto's throat was dry. He just couldn't take his eyes away, it was unbelievable. "I'm here…I'm here because Orochimaru's out of town for a while."

"And Kabuto?"

_How the HELL do you know all of this?!_

"He's not around at the moment."

Itachi looked a little longer, questioning more in his mind than anything, thinking about everything that he could, always trying to be a few steps ahead. But Naruto wasn't really the threat here; he was still just a pawn.

"If Sasuke gets in trouble -,"

"Never - I'll never let that happen to him, _never again_." Naruto interrupted sternly, staring hard at Itachi as if making him understand that. "But what about you - you know something don't you? You -,"

"I won't mention what you are to Sasuke if you don't mention to him that we've met before. I never had anything to do with Orochimaru, understood?"

Naruto's jaw hung slack, so many thoughts running through his mind at the time that he could hardly get out the words that he wanted to. If this man knew more than Naruto that meant he pretty much knew everything.

"But what about Sasuke? Doesn't he deserve to know what happened to you?"

"That's my concern. I'll tell him when the time is right, but until then you won't breathe a word of it to him, understood?"

Obediently Naruto nodded his head and almost at once Itachi went about his own business and walked passed Naruto and out of the room. He remained where he was, stood still to the ground as his mind attempted to keep up with what had just happened.

Itachi. Sasuke's aniki. He'd been the one that had vanished the day that Sasuke had shown up…Sasuke thought he was dead…but there he was, alive and well…but Naruto knew that there was something wrong with him…no one ever left Orochimaru without something to show for it.

Naruto hadn't had any idea at the time about what had happened between Orochimaru and Itachi at the time…he'd only been eight, he could hardly remember anything. Itachi never spoke to him, just came and left…but there was something so eerie about him, there always had been. Naruto knew that Orochimaru had done something to him, just by seeing that tint of red in his eyes…Naruto was certain.

"Hey Hazu - Naruto? I knew I shouldn't have gone." Naruto turned around to see Sasuke standing half in and half out of the doorway from the hallway. "You okay? Crap, you met Itachi didn't you?" Sasuke rolled his eyes as he approached Naruto, he crossed his arms and his neat black brows furrowed.

"How did you guess…?" Naruto said quieter than he had intended.

"Every time I have someone over…he's scared the shit out of all of them." Sasuke began as he walked them through to the kitchen. "I don't know why, though, I mean, I'd just laugh at how much he looks like a girl."

"I love you too, Sasuke." Itachi's voice came through from the room off the living room that Itachi had vanished off into. Sasuke glanced over to the open doorway into the study and was about to retort but thought better of himself.

"Here, have a drink." Sasuke handed over a can to Naruto who took the cold metal into his hands as it was offered. "We'll go up to my room unless you want anything to eat? Chips or something? We're not leaving until nine so we might as well bulk up on food…" Sasuke suggested his head in a cupboard, then he laughed slightly. "The hell am I talking about…" he shut the cupboard door. "As if we eat anything anyway."

"I eat." Naruto retorted with a scowl.

"Like Hell, all I've seen you do is pick at your sandwiches." Sasuke's lips curled up into a smirk, raising a single eyebrow in emphasis.

Naruto opened his mouth ready to attack…but he just nodded his head in defeat. "Yeah…but I do eat in bulk…_sometimes_…but what about _you_?" Naruto decided to change the subject…or at least subject in the sense of person.

"What about me? I don't have an appetite. I'm a freak." Sasuke shrugged with a sigh. "I'm used to it."

"_Sasuke_…" Naruto whined.

"We'll both be freaks together, now come on, lets go up to my room before my aniki interrogates you some more…" Sasuke replied as he headed towards the archway that lead back into the living room. That must have been the first thing that Naruto could agree with since they'd begun that conversation.

"Now he's the biggest freak of them all." Sasuke muttered under his breath as he passed the study door, Itachi was sat at the far end, at the computer. Sasuke eyed him carefully, though Itachi seemed oblivious inside Sasuke was worried. Although Itachi hadn't shooed Naruto away that time didn't mean that he wouldn't…Sasuke knew that Itachi wouldn't forget Naruto, Sasuke had never let him.

Naruto smirked slightly, glancing over his shoulder at the now somehow harmless looking Itachi. He only hoped that Itachi would keep his promise…after all Naruto didn't hold much against him, the only thing he had was that Itachi had once been one of Orochimaru's experiments too…but was that enough for Itachi really to be worried about?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sasuke lay down on his bed his eyes wondering over the pages of the magazine he had hovering above him as across the room Naruto tried on yet another shirt. Sasuke had been intent on getting Naruto out of the plain white t-shirt and jeans that he was so used to seeing him in, and so had told Naruto that he could borrow some of his clothes.

At first Naruto had been uncertain…Sasuke had a very _dark_ taste in clothes even if he always did look cool. But it seemed to Naruto that there was no stopping Sasuke. He went right ahead and searched through his draws and pulled out a few pairs of jeans and what he said were drain-pipe pants that might look good on him, along with a few tops and shirts that he could try on.

Now Sasuke just waited as he lay down on the bed, he'd still not changed out of his school uniform, and was half lying on his school jacket as he read the magazine. Naruto huffed as he pulled his head through the neck of the black and pink highlighted t-shirt, having read on the back the words '_Non-existent' _Naruto wasn't too sure if he wanted to wear it anyway.

Though surprisingly enough…Sasuke's clothes drowned him.

"I can seriously not believe how skinny you are." Sasuke sighed as he lifted himself back off the bed, his brows furrowed as he approached Naruto who was still fumbling with the t-shit. "At least the pants fit you…and suit you…I suppose…the hell do I know…" Sasuke shrugged.

He gripped the bottom of the bottom of the t-shirt and pulled the excess around the front. "And this shirt is supposed to be tight…" he sighed. Naruto shrugged. "Well you can choose one…it still looks okay, just a bit big around the neck…which is weird since I think your shoulders are broader than mine…"

"I'll just wear my clothes." Naruto said as Sasuke stood away shaking his head. Naruto took hold of the bottom of the shirt and lifted it up over his head.

Sasuke watched Naruto a small smirk on his lips that suddenly vanished as he caught sight of something on Naruto's arms. He stood firmly on the spot. Naruto shook his head as his hair fell over his face after he'd pulled off the shirt. He ran his fingers through his hair to get it out of his eyes when he caught Sasuke staring. He knew at once what it was that he had spotted. He hadn't tired to hide them, though…he felt foolish for it, but there was no hiding the scars, there really wasn't.

"Sasuke -,"

Sasuke walked to Naruto and at once wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck, taking the blonde by pleasant surprise. The both of them remained silent for a short while. Sasuke's eyes stared blankly out ahead of him, wondering when Naruto had done it…wondering why.

"Are you ready to talk serious yet…?" Sasuke whispered softly, his arms still wrapped around Naruto's neck. He could feel Naruto's arms wrapped around his lower back, and knew that the silence meant that Naruto didn't want to hear it.

"I…Please…could we leave the past…as the past…?" Naruto replied, his voice reasonably quiet. Sasuke shut his eyes tight, he didn't want to leave it…he couldn't…he needed Naruto to know what had happened, but what could he do? Naruto wasn't going to listen to him. Sasuke nodded his head.

"Sure…" Sasuke finally said, his hold loosening around Naruto's neck as he threatened to move away. And she he did, he took his arms away but continued to stand ahead of Naruto, looking down over his exposed chest and at the tightly buckled belt that he had to wear to stop the pants from falling down.

Sasuke raised his own hands as his eyes moved to look over those long scars that marred both of Naruto's inner forearms. His fingers softly traced the white markings upon his tanned flesh…there was no doubt about it in his mind of what Naruto had attempted to accomplish by doing this. He was glad that Naruto had failed.

"We really are freaks." Sasuke muttered faintly, wondering if this was how Naruto had felt whenever he had harmed himself before. He hoped it wasn't…the feeling of dread and guilt that smothered him was almost suffocating.

Naruto smiled weakly at the remark as his hands dropped to his sides, but he loved the gentle touch of Sasuke's fingers as they ran along his forearms even if the reason behind it wasn't exactly a pleasant one.

Sasuke's eyes rose and met carefully with Naruto's, the raven took a step closer until he was right against Naruto, their foreheads touching as Sasuke intertwined their fingers.

"You…haven't done it since…have you?" Sasuke questioned his voice still soft as he lowered his eyes, not really looking at anything.

"No." Naruto replied. "I promise you…and never again…"

Sasuke smiled softly, squeezing Naruto's fingers playfully. "That's good."

"Promise me the same?" Naruto offered, causing Sasuke to look up.

Sasuke was silent for the moment, just looking at Naruto's serious eyes; his brows furrowed slightly…wondering himself why he was hesitating. "I promise." Sasuke said finally. "Never again."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto stood outside of the building that Sasuke had pointed out to him as the _Wreck_. They'd had to take three different trains to get there, Naruto had no idea where the hell they'd ended up…to be fair, Konoha wasn't exactly a huge place, but there they'd ended up, and Naruto had no idea where they were.

Naruto paused looked up at the club, Sasuke walked on ahead of him, the hood of his grey jacket pulled up over his head, his heavy bangs crowning his face. He turned around, his hands in the pockets of his black drain-pipe pants, glancing back at the nervous face of Naruto. His lips curled into a smirk as he headed back over.

"It's not that scary honestly." Sasuke reassured him, putting his arm over Naruto's shoulder as they headed towards the entrance that was flocked by teenagers. Naruto's bright blue eyes glanced at Sasuke for a moment before looking back at the building. "I'll get you something to drink as soon as we get in and soon enough everything will be fine." Sasuke smiled.

"Yeah…sure…" Naruto could feel his heart thudding in his chest. There were so many people around, he wasn't really too comfortable with it all so suddenly…even though he'd been excited about it for most of the day.

"Come on." Sasuke tugged Naruto along with him, grabbing him by the wrist, feeling the fabric of the baggy black jacket that Naruto was wearing beneath his fingers. He brought Naruto to the entrance, where Naruto found himself being mobbed by Kiba.

"I've been looking for you two, figures you would come together," he grinned crookedly as he led them in passed the doorman, nodding to him as they went in. "Dude, Naruto, didn't figure you as an emo…no offence, Uchiha."

"None taken." Sasuke replied calmly as he pulled himself out of Kiba's hold, although Naruto didn't seem as lucky.

The three of them climbed down about five or six sets of staircases until Naruto could hear the faint sound of music. He noticed that there were teenagers gathering together in groups and it was darker the further down they went, the walls painted and lighted with florescent glow in the dark paint.

At the far end was a doorway that held in the muffled music, and it was in here that the three of them ventured, Naruto's eyes broadening as they doors parted either side of him, and he came out into a large square room with a stage at the far end and florescent patterns on the floor, walls and ceiling.

"I'll see you guys in a minute, I've gotta go help Neji set up or he'll kick my ass." Kiba grinned, having to speak loudly though the music, he hadn't seemed to notice Naruto's wide eyes as he eagerly searched the room.

Kiba wondered off through the crowd, not half making a noise as he went along towards the stage that was stood at the far end of the room, the black curtains still drawn across as the bands prepared on the other side.

Sasuke caught the look of fascination in Naruto's eyes; he didn't think he'd ever seen Naruto's eyes as wide as that before, just staring around the room as if he'd never seen anything like it. Sasuke took Naruto's arm, causing him to jump slightly as he looked to see who had touched him. Sasuke grinned. "Come on, dobe. This way."

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun! Over here!"

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes after hearing his name being called from behind, knowing the voices that had called him simultaneously. Naruto looked over Sasuke's shoulder at the girl with long blonde hair and pink hair who were approaching. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino.

"Quickly, Naruto…" Sasuke insisted tugging once again on Naruto's sleeve, pulling him away and through the crowd, hoping to lose the girls. Naruto followed after him and headed to the far side, towards the bar aria. Naruto came along with him - although it wasn't as if he had much of a choice - weaved through the solid crowds of people behind Sasuke.

When they came to the bar Sasuke suddenly pulled Naruto into him, causing Naruto to gasp at the sudden impact. Sasuke held onto Naruto' shoulders and peered over to see if the girls were still following, although it seemed that they had lost them in the crowd as he had hoped. Sasuke sighed in relief and turned his attention back to the bar.

"I need a drink." Sasuke pointed out.

"Already?" Naruto raised a brow. "We only just got here…?"

"You've met Sakura, haven't you?" Sasuke tilted his head slightly as he looked at Naruto who was toying with the sleeves of his baggy jacket. Naruto shrugged.

"I thought she was nice."

"I'm not going to get started…I'm really not." Sasuke replied. "Now, _drinks_…"

As the _NinDogs_ played, Naruto stood with Sasuke reasonably near the front. By this time Sasuke had probably consumed far too much alcohol and they'd been there for only and hour or so, Naruto was also certain that whatever Sasuke was smoking wasn't helping any either.

Naruto was busy absorbing the whole experience. He felt smothered by it, it was a wonderful feeling and he loved it. He stood just listening to the music, watching Kiba as he jumped around on stage, at Neji and Lee and at Chouji and Shino. It was a whole different world to the white walls and injections that he was used to…even as he drank down the drink of whatever the hell it was that Sasuke had handed him Naruto felt safe and comfortable.

Naruto suddenly felt a body fall against him. He turned around and caught a dark-haired girl in his arms as she was about to fall. He hiccupped but took a deep breath as to hold them back before he realised who he held in his arms. "Hinata-san?"

"N…Naruto-kun?" She looked up and quickly brought herself to her feet and out of his hold, and apologised at once, bowing her head to him.

"It's perfectly alright," he said politely with a grin, his cheeks slightly aglow. Hinata's face was equally as red, although Naruto was sure that it wasn't because of alcohol. "I didn't expect to see you here." He said, hoping to make conversation, although he was almost certain that the room was beginning to spin.

"I…I'm here with…with Ki-Kiba-kun…" she told him. "I…come and watch hi-him with his ba-band." She continued, holding her hands neatly together ahead of her, keeping her eyes low so that they didn't meet with his.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto turned around after hearing his name behind called, only to see a pink head of hair fumbling towards him. She cling her arms around his neck and handed him a bottle. "Here you go! Sasuke-kun said to give it to you." She grinned as Naruto took it from her…he watched her carefully, already pretty intoxicated not having drink before, then watched her walk away without saying anything more, calling once again for Sasuke.

He turned back around, holding the bottle only to notice that Hinata had vanished too. Furrowing his brows in annoyance, noticing that he was left alone. Suddenly he wasn't so happy anymore. Wondering what he should do, Naruto looked around for Sasuke, but in the dark and through the crowds Naruto could hardly see a single thing.

With a throbbing head Sasuke's eyes drifted around the room. After his cigarette had been stolen away by Kiba he'd gone in search of Naruto, but he was out of luck so far. Frustrated Sasuke searched around the room, he was drunk, but he wasn't about to admit it, and he was feeling rather aggravated…so much so because he was now drunk enough to have enough courage to do what he'd wanted to do all night…and he couldn't even find Naruto.

He couldn't remember losing him, and yet he had somehow ended up being dragged away by Sakura to the other side of the room and away from Naruto. It was now nearing midnight and he felt sick to his stomach…and was fumbling through the crowds, grabbing onto any blonde that he could find.

"Aw fuck!" Sasuke cried frustrated as he appeared aside Neji once again. "The hell did I end up here…?" Neji looked down at him, stood with Ten-Ten who was still armed with her Polaroid camera. She took a quick snap of Sasuke as he leant against Neji for support before taking another one of Neji for the school paper (or rather her own private collection…3).

"Have either of you…seen Naruto?" Sasuke managed to ask although he was barely able to keep his eyes open.

"I have." Ten-Ten spoke up. "I saw him; he looks like he's out cold though…stood over at the far wall."

"Sure…thanks…" Sasuke replied, though the moment that he stood away from Neji, he dropped to the ground, falling at Neji's feet. "_Fuck…_" He moaned as he lay on his side looking up at Neji from the ground. Ten-Ten laughed, Neji seemed clearly unimpressed.

"I'll help you, Sasuke." Ten-Ten grinned as Sasuke attempted to lift himself back up off the floor. "Neji, help him up."

"Ten-Ten…"

"_Neji_." Neji rolled his eyes as his name was said like this before he reached down and helped Sasuke up to stand. Sasuke nodded his head in thanks and attempted to stand by himself, hiccupping as he covered his mouth.

"What the hell have you been smoking, Uchiha?" Neji commented with a scowl.

"No idea…" Sasuke replied truthfully as he turned around, heading off to the far side, his hazy eyes skimming the crowd for any blonde that he could set his sights upon. For some odd reason both Ten-Ten and Neji were following him, Neji seemed to be going against his will, Ten-Ten not about to get go of a belt loop on his jeans and tugged him along with her.

Sasuke arrived at the wall, and almost at once he heard his name being called, he groaned as Sakura suddenly clung to his arm. Sasuke pushed her away before he quickly moved away, and suddenly grinned as he saw the head of the exact blonde that he had been looking for.

Naruto leant against the wall, attempting to sober up. With a yawn and a throbbing head, Naruto gently closed his eyes, but opened them almost at once as he suddenly felt a body press up against his. His eyes met with hazy obsidian ones and he smiled as he realised that it was Sasuke.

About to open his mouth to speak, Naruto's eyes went broad as Sasuke's lips pressed firmly against his, fingers running through his hair. Caught off guard Naruto had almost no idea how to react as Sasuke's tongue entered his mouth. Sasuke felt Naruto go rigid for only a moment before he melted into the kiss, and he realised that he had finally done it. Running his fingers through Naruto's hair, hearing the blonde moaning into his mouth as he playfully ran his tongue over Naruto's, Sasuke couldn't help but smile. Even in his drunken state he knew what he was doing - _sort of_.

Naruto couldn't stop himself from moaning, he barely sounded as if he was making any sound at all with the music blasting around them, but he was sure that Sasuke could hear him. Of course Naruto kissed back with any chance that he could…but Sasuke seemed rather intent upon being the dominant of the two.

"Oh my Kami-sama…" Ten-Ten's Polaroid camera was having a field day with this. She flashed and flashed, taking photos of the pair, circling them as much as she could, considering they were standing firmly against the wall. "Damn it…my inner fan-girl is escaping…" Ten-Ten muttered quietly to herself. "Neji! Why don't you do things like that!?"

"_Ten-Ten_." Neji growled firmly with a scowl.

"Aw lighten up, lovely!" She grinned as he hung her arm around his neck, draping herself off him. Neji's silver eyes looked down at her, still rather unimpressed. "You know I don't mean it, I want you all to myself." Ten-Ten smiled before jumping up the last few inches of height difference between her and her tall boyfriend and gently pecked him upon the lips.

"Let's give them a ride back to Sasuke's place." Ten-Ten announced not moments after. Neji sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Not in my car."

"_Neji_, you're such a stiff! Please? Look at them, we can't let them stay here…someone might see…"

"What does it matter? You're going to be putting photos of them in the school paper anyway, aren't you?" Neji stated turning his head aside slightly to look around, able to hear Naruto's moans…wondering if this was exactly the reason why Sasuke had wanted all those favours before.

"Yeah, but still! Please, Neji? If someone sees them now there's no point of putting in the paper! It'll be all over the school by Monday, we'll sell more papers the less people that know!"

"You're evil, Ten-Ten."

"One of us has to be." Ten-Ten grinned before she put the strap of the camera around her neck and headed back towards Sasuke and Naruto…who seemed to be making _too_ much of a scene.

Naruto felt his back grinding against the wall, absorbed in the feeling and taste of Sasuke, loving every single moment of it. His arms wrapped around Sasuke's neck, feeling Sasuke's warm fingers as they trailed up the back if his clothes peeling them away from his skin. He took hard breathes now and again before being totally consumed by the intensity of the kiss.

This was what he had wanted. This was what he had wanted very much.

"Let's…let's go - go back to…my…my house…" Sasuke said between breaths, Naruto latching harshly onto his mouth. Naruto was nodding his head although he didn't seem to want to let go, Sasuke wasn't complaining.

"Sasuke…do you want a ride home?" Ten-Ten asked casually stood aside of them. "You know…before anyone else -,"

"_NO_! SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura's shriek sounded throughout the room. Sasuke shuddered at the sound of it, but still didn't bring his lips away from Naruto's for longer than it took to take a small breath.

Sakura stopped as she was, suddenly sober as her bright eyes gazed at the scene ahead of her. She was certain that a part of her had snapped, and found that she couldn't take her eyes off the sight of Sasuke kissing Naruto. "Its okay, Sakura-san," came a voice from over Sakura's shoulder. She looked back, not hopefully, her eyes somewhat glassy, only to ball out in tears as her eyes fell over the figure who had spoken. "You still have me." Rock Lee continued, placing his hand on her shoulder with a grin.

Sakura just sobbed…_all hope is lost…_

"Come on you guys…break it up! Lets get you home; Neji and I are leaving anyway."

"We are?"

"Yes." Ten-Ten snapped though hid it was her catty smile as she took hold of the back of Sasuke's grey hooded jacket. "Come on, Sasuke."

"But -,"

"As soon as we get you home you can continue." Ten-Ten interrupted as Sasuke gripped onto Naruto again as if his life depended on it. Sasuke sighed, Naruto drooped his head against Sasuke's shoulder. "There's good boys…" Ten-Ten grinned as Neji headed over to fetch his guitar before coming back with the keys in hand.

"Come on lets go then." Neji sighed, realising that he couldn't win against Ten-Ten's final word.

"This way." Ten-Ten grinned like the Cheshire cat as she lead the both of them through the crowd, Naruto latching dizzily onto Sasuke, still rather intoxicated, at least Sasuke could walk.

Neji shoved the both of them into the back of the car before he climbed in too along with Ten-Ten in the front. Naruto draped himself against Sasuke who was resting against the window, his head throbbing still although he was rather certain of himself…although he would say he never remembered what he did while he was drunk…he found that he actually remembered more of the events when he was intoxicated than when he wasn't.

This was certainly going to be one of those times.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, running a gentle fingertip along Naruto's smooth jaw-line. Naruto's eyes opened slightly, and a small smile appeared upon his lips as he looked up to Sasuke. Raising a hand Naruto rubbed his eyes before gripping onto Sasuke's jacket and pulling himself closer. "How are you feeling…?"

"Happy…" Naruto yawned, lifting himself to sit up properly, his lids still heavy.

"You're drunk." Sasuke laughed quietly, leaning in so that their noses touched.

"So are you." Naruto was kind enough to point out with a sleepy grin, moving those last few inches so that his lips once again gently touched Sasuke's for a soft peck.

"Yeah…" Sasuke admitted with a sigh. "And maybe just a _little_ stoned…" Naruto laughed at Sasuke's expression almost at once but fell silent as he realised that they were being watched. He looked to his right and to the front of the car…only to meet eyes with a grinning Ten-Ten holding her Polaroid camera.

"Hello." She smiled. Naruto felt his face flush crimson, realising now that he'd left the club…he couldn't even remember walking let alone getting in the car.

"Ignore her…" Sasuke whispered in his ear, turning Naruto's flushed face towards him as he leant further into Naruto so that Naruto was almost lying down across the backseat. Sasuke's eyes met once again with Naruto's, his hand reached up to stroke the blonde bangs aside as his other hand once again searched the flesh up Naruto's top.

Naruto's eyes were heavy lidded, watching Sasuke as his cheeks flared red his body shuddered suddenly as he felt Sasuke's searching hand circling his hardening nipple. Sasuke's lips curved into a careful smirk, enjoying the feeling of Naruto's body beneath him as he once more captured the blonde's lips, happier than anything that Naruto hadn't pushed him away.

In all honesty, Sasuke had no idea why he was feeling like he was. Of course he cared for Naruto, he cared for him so much that it was painful…then why was he doing something like this? He loved Naruto, but he hadn't even thought for one second that he was _in_ love with Naruto.

Ten-Ten's camera was flashing once again, taking even more photos of them as they made-out in the back seat of Neji's car. Neji continued to glare as he was driving, holding the steering wheel a little tighter than necessary. He should have just dropped them off at the train station…but Ten-Ten was intent on dropping them back at Sasuke's house…Neji was just glad he knew where Sasuke lived - having dropped him off before on random drunken occasions - otherwise he'd be stuck trying to get directions out of him.

"Oh Kami…" Ten-Ten smirked. "Neji…er…" Ten-Ten turned back to sit properly in the seat, looking forward again, biting her lips as her cheeks flared red. "We should hurry…they're getting a little…er…well…"

Neji scowled and grit his teeth together as he took a sharp turn right whilst turning up the stereo in the car to drown out the moaning. "Where are you going?!" she gasped as she gripped onto the dashboard.

"Taking a short-cut." Neji replied sternly, Ten-Ten could sense the anger of his aura…and remained silent, knowing when Neji was at his limit.

Neji pulled up swiftly ahead of Sasuke's driveway, and almost at once he got out of the car and opening the back door gripped onto the hood of Sasuke's jacket, yanking him off Naruto and out of the car. Sasuke stumbled forwards but managed to remain stood as Naruto hit him square in the chest. Before Sasuke could scold Neji he had slammed the car door and was gone off down the road…the car vanishing in the distance.

Naruto looked up, still dazed as he clung onto Sasuke's jacket and pulled himself up to stand. "Where are we…?" Naruto wondered, his eyes still half lidded as he rested himself against Sasuke.

Sasuke yawned, running his fingers through his mess hair before he turned around and there he saw his house. "Home." He pointed at the building, slightly confused…before the perverted part of his mind suddenly gripped him. "Come on…" Sasuke smirked deviously as he took hold of Naruto's hand and pulled him towards the door as his hand fumbled in his tight pants pockets for the keys.

Naruto followed behind holding firmly onto Sasuke's hand as a dazed smile continued to toy with his lips. He watched Sasuke as they reached the doorway as he fumbled with his keys, trying to find the right one, although there was on three keys on there anyway. Naruto laughed at Sasuke's futile attempts to find the lock…having failed several times before he finally managed to match the key with the lock, Sasuke looked back, knocking Naruto weakly in the arm, the blonde fumbling back slightly.

Sasuke opened the door, and the moment that he had managed too he reached out an arm and took hold of the front of Naruto's jacket and pulled the blonde into him, entering the house backwards, Sasuke having supposed somewhere at the back of his mind where he was still sane, that both Itachi and Hazuki were asleep by now.

Naruto found that he couldn't stop laughing, even as once again his lips came to Sasuke's he couldn't help but laugh, thinking of the whole situation as absurd. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's narrow waist and pulled him into him, suddenly shoving him against a wall hoping to deeper the kiss.

Naruto suddenly felt his back hit something uncomfortable and scowled, moaning into Sasuke's mouth as his hand moved behind him in hopes of moving himself away. His hand fumbled behind him as Sasuke's body pressed harder against him, catching Naruto by surprise Naruto's hand slipped up on what had been digging into his back, which happened to be the door handle that opened the door into the living room.

Sasuke only noticed that he was falling forwards when Naruto hit the ground and moaned loudly into his mouth, turning his head away, suddenly feeling sore after his head hit the floor, all of Sasuke's weight upon him…although it wasn't exactly much.

"_Aarg…ah…_" Sasuke whimpered, his hands trapped beneath Naruto as he tried to lift himself up, straddling Naruto, Sasuke's dazed eyes looked around the room and down at Naruto's scrunched up face and laughed. Naruto looked up at Sasuke and hit him softly in the chest before covering his face with his arms, laughing quietly himself.

Sasuke sighed before he noticed that the lights were actually switched on in the room…actually no…not lights, but candles…"_Candles_?" Sasuke questioned noticing the strange romantic aura that engulfed the room. Sasuke looked up the room to his left, his eyes meeting with Itachi's.

Itachi sat upon the settee, Hazuki sat next to him her cheeks burning red as she held her hand to her mouth holding back her giggles. Sasuke swore quietly and grinned raising his brows, Naruto still quietly laughing beneath him. Sasuke didn't say anything, only got up onto his feet, grabbing Naruto's wrists and pulling him up into him. "Let's go to my room…" Sasuke whispered and fell back out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Itachi remained as he was. Sat still upon the sofa. Hazuki bit her lips, trying not to laugh as she patted Itachi on the back, and gently squeezed his shoulder in reassurance…"Aw, honey…" she smiled still holding back her excited laughter…honestly she couldn't be happier that Sasuke was _with_ someone finally…even if it was a boy.

Itachi turned to look at her, his eyes staring intensely upon her a slight twitch in his right eye. "Its okay…it's just a phase, sweetie…everyone goes through it…the whole _experimental _stage." Hazuki continued but she wasn't so certain that was she had said had helped Itachi any.

"_Experimental stage_?" Itachi repeated. "And…you went through this?"

"Oh hell yeah. You must have too - I can just imagine the amount of boys who were all over your gorgeous self!" She grinned, hearing more thudding and laughing as Sasuke and Naruto found the stairs.

"No." Itachi said firmly, mildly disturbed. "No boys."

"_Huh_?" Hazuki gasped. "_Seriously_?!"

Itachi nodded.

"Well I'll be damned." Hazuki laughed softly. "Well…I wouldn't worry about it…Sasuke…_well_…maybe Sasuke needs this."

"Hazuki," Itachi said firmly in a tone that demanded authority. "I don't want Sasuke to _need_ this."

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Falling into Sasuke's room, Naruto took a deep breath to gather himself together. His head was clearer, but his body was flooded with excitement and warmth, eager to feel Sasuke's body against his once again, to taste him once again.

Sasuke shut the door carefully, fumbling with the lock for a moment before turning back around his eyes falling over Naruto as he walked further into the room, sitting himself down on the end of Sasuke's bed, yawning. Approaching the bed, still slightly dizzy but fully aware of what he was doing and what he really wanted to do, Sasuke stood ahead of Naruto, those glowing blue eyes looking up at him, a small smile upon his lips, a light blush upon his cheeks.

Sasuke gently ran his fingers through Naruto's hair, tilting back Naruto's head as he did so, straddling him as he brought himself upon the bed. Within an instant Sasuke was passing his lips teasingly over Naruto's, gently closing his eyes. His breathing was soft, his fingers toying with the zip on Naruto's jacket opening it so that he could access more of Naruto's throat.

Lowering himself down onto the bed, Naruto almost at once arched his back as Sasuke's tongue ran teasingly along a sensitive spot on his neck, the jacket slipping off his shoulders. Naruto felt heat flood through his body, his heart thudding madly. He just didn't want it to stop. He wanted to have Sasuke…he had for a long time, he'd so wanted to kiss him and touch him and hold him, he'd felt so ashamed that just seeing Sasuke hadn't been enough…Even if that was what he had told himself.

Naruto's hand reached up and ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair, gripping on to the dark locks every time Sasuke's tongue ran along his Adam's apple, feeling so very strange as he felt Sasuke's hands running over his torso beneath his shirt, attacking the jacket in hopes of pulling it off entirely.

"Just…just tell me to stop if you don't want me too, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, removing his own jacket as his lips came to Naruto's jaw-line.

At once Naruto shook his head, his brows furrowing in distress. "No…no don't stop…" he breathed in response wrapping his arms around Sasuke as their lips came together once again. Sasuke passionately fumbled around with Naruto's t-shirt before he managed to pull their lips apart for long enough to pull it off Naruto, and throw it aside before attempting the same with his own, Naruto eagerly aiding him.

Naruto held back small whimpers as Sasuke's kisses ran down his body and long his torso, many different sensations gripping him, feeling things that he'd never felt before. His skin welcomed Sasuke's pleading touch, and he couldn't think of a more perfect thing. Even if it was a dream, well Naruto knew that it wasn't…he couldn't even begin to imagine such a thing could happen.

Naruto shut his eyes, his fingers running through Sasuke's hair, all of the small hairs over his body stood on end as Sasuke's fingers ran along his flat abdomen, feeling for the belt on his pants, steadily unbuckling it as his tongue ran in teasing circles around Naruto's navel. Naruto's eyes went broad though he still managed to hold back the moan that was captured in his throat as Sasuke's hand vanished beyond view point beneath the rise of Naruto's pants.

Sasuke was careful and gentle with Naruto, hearing those small moans that he couldn't hold in, it made Sasuke just want him more, but for some reason he knew that he was holding back. It was Naruto. It was Naruto he was undressing, it was Naruto who was undressing him, and yet Sasuke couldn't have wanted it more.

As his fingers caressed the arch of Naruto's back, feeling the sweat that had gathered there excitement filled him as he tasted Naruto in his mouth, licking his lips attentively, smirking at the sensually loud moan that passed his lips unable to hold it back any longer.

"This might hurt a little, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, Naruto nodded breathlessly, his fingers gripping onto the sheets of the bed beneath him, his muscles already tensing as he felt those gentle fingers running lower and lower.

At first it was uncomfortable, Naruto's body tensed at the strange pressure, arching his body against Sasuke's as another digit entered him seemingly searching for something…until he found it. Naruto's arms held Sasuke close to him, digging his fingernails into Sasuke's shoulders, unable to hold in the pleasured moans and whimpered that started as feral growls in his throat. The moans only grew as Sasuke entered him.

Naruto lay against Sasuke, his eyes gently closed as his face pressed against Sasuke's torso. Naruto couldn't bring himself to let go, even as his eyes were shut his body just wanted to sleep along with his mind. Sasuke was practically asleep aside him, holding him closely still with his fingers unconsciously stroking Naruto's sweaty blonde bangs.

Naruto's smile remained upon his lips even as he slept.

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HAHAHAHAHA!!!! (excuse my insane-ness….please…)

Was that any good??? Am I too cryptic…or do you guys get the idea…?

Sorry if I am…haha… - also…looool - Ten-Ten…haha…secret Yaoi fan-girl…haha…poor Neji…:sigh: - also...i hope that thing about Itachi wasn't _too_ confusing...it gets explained better later on! Promise!!

Hope this chapter doesn't put you guys off or anything. **Review** PLIS!! Grope that button! I shall love you for it!!


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry! I know that this is SUPER LATE but we all have lives…so you should understand (I hope…)

I think this chapter makes sense. If it doesn't, let me know…:D

Same warnings and disclaimer applies!

Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers! You're comments make me smile! XD

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Chapter Thirteen

As the two figures slept cosily side-by-side the morning hours ticked steadily away, bringing them into another day. Sasuke shifted slightly in his gentle sleep, while Naruto's eyes steadily began to open…crimson orbs staring out upon the ivory skinned youth who lay right up against him.

A smirk appeared upon Naruto's face, those deadly crimson eyes holding within them a power that was not visible in Naruto's azure stare. Those were the eyes of the demon that shared Naruto's body. Kyuubi.

With slightly enlarged fingernails, blackened and strong, Kyuubi lifted a hand from beneath where it had rested against his chest, and stroked the long black strands of hair away from Sasuke's sleeping face to get a better look. He thought it over in his mind, running through all of Naruto's memories, and he realised at once that this was the Sasuke that had pained him so badly all those years ago. Of course on some level Kyuubi had known all along since Naruto did, but Kyuubi tried not to invade on Naruto's life too much…this time would have to be a _little_ exception.

This was the Sasuke who had made Naruto so unhappy…made Naruto want to forget the past, to block it out completely to an extent that some of the time he didn't remember anything at all. Kyuubi did not like Sasuke because of the way that he made Naruto feel…but also Kyuubi did like him because he knew that he wanted to get Naruto to talk about the past. Naruto needed that. Naruto needed to be told; he needed explanations, even if he pretended not to.

Of course there were other reasons why Kyuubi didn't like Sasuke…but he felt that he wasn't at liberty to think or discuss them…with anyone…

As he continued to look over the fine body of the youth aside of him, Kyuubi's lips curled into a devious smirk as his fanged teeth rested upon his bottom lip. Sasuke was stirring in his sleep, any moment now and he would open his eyes and Kyuubi might get his chance to speak with him without Naruto knowing.

Gently with a small tired sigh, Sasuke half opened his eyes to see the hazy - and very much awake - form of Naruto watching him. He shut his eyes once more as he yawned and stretched a little before opening his eyes again. Except that time he wasn't exactly happy about what he saw.

Those two crimson red eyes that stared out at him were not the eyes of his Naruto.

"_You_," He gasped as he jumped back from the surprise, tumbling backwards off the bed and hitting the ground with a solid thud. Sasuke winced as his backside hit the floor, but he regained himself almost at once as those red eyes followed by the body lolled over the side of the bed on his stomach looking down over him. The smirk that lined his face made Sasuke highly nervous, though he swallowed it back and matched stares with this creature.

"_Well…_" the golden haired creature smirked, Sasuke noticed the differences at once. The muscles that covered this deeply tanned and well built body…the darkness of the hair the difference in the facial expressions right down to the change in the facial markings on the side of his face. Naruto's body, his face seemed far more dangerous and strong, and far more feral.

"_I'm at least glad that you can tell the difference between us…Naruto and I._" He purred his voice surprisingly smooth, it held a little less malice than it had the last time that Sasuke had _met_ this part of Naruto.

"This is Orochimaru's fault isn't it…" Sasuke breathed, his brows knitted into a frown. "He did this to Naruto, he made him like this."

"_Of course…unless you know of someone else who would be capable of such idiocy…you don't, do you?_" The creature raised an eyebrow as the smirk toyed with his lips, sharp rows of fanged teeth showed in one moment as those crimson eyes coyly scanned Sasuke's pale body.

Sasuke at once snatched up a second blanket and pulled it to cover himself before once again glaring at the creature upon his bed. "Who are you? Does Naruto know about you?"

"_One question at a time,_" The creature sighed. "_To answer your first question, I have been dubbed - by the Snake himself - as the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Uchiha Sasuke…although by the soreness of my behind, I think that we already know each other pretty well, don't you?_" Sasuke felt a sudden tightness within him as his lips pressed together in a thin line.

"What the hell are you? A split personality or something?"

"_Wait; don't you want me to answer the other question?_" Kyuubi wondered, rolling around onto his back as he held one hand above his head, his tongue toying with his lips.

"Fine, then tell me, does Naruto know about you?" Sasuke asked, immediately flustered.

"_Yessir, he most certainly does. We get along pretty well. I scratch his back, he lets me eat. We have a great thing going on at the moment. And as for you other questions,_" Kyuubi continued with a yawn and he stretched out over the bed. "_I am not a split personality. I am Naruto._"

"That makes you a split personality." Sasuke raised an eyebrow and swallowed hard, his heart was beating so harshly in his chest that it almost hurt.

"_Well sort of…I just don't like to be called that. I'm artificial after all. Naruto didn't make me up or anything, I'm the genuine thing. So don't be mean to me, I'm dangerous._" Kyuubi winked playfully as he sat up and with one clawed hand reached out and took hold of the sheet around Sasuke's waist before he could move far enough away.

Sasuke gasped, but held his breath as the somehow suddenly larger Naruto, pulled him right against him. Sasuke stared right into those deep red eyes and found himself unable to move. "_And I'm only telling you this because Naruto likes you…I - on the other hand - I really, really don't…you, Uchiha Sasuke, are not only bad for him but you're just as dangerous…I can smell it all over you._"

_Dangerous?_ The word echoed in Sasuke's mind.

Sasuke winced as those clawed fingers roughly took hold of a scruff of his hair and yanked hard. He scowled at once but made sure he remained quiet; he'd already made enough noise as it was. "_And yet, Uchiha Sasuke, I am willing to put all of that aside because of Naruto…he likes you more than I ever could or will. And…and I need you to do something for me._"

"And…why should I help you?" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth, feeling that second hand as it slipped down behind the back of the sheet. Sasuke could feel that warm hand as it ran down his back…but hated it because this wasn't Naruto.

"_Because, idiot…whatever helps me, helps Naruto, and vice versa._" He grinned, surprised by the Uchiha's lack of reaction as he ran his clawed fingers along backside as the sheet fell from around his form. Sasuke simply glared at him, a horrid and yet meaningful glare. "_So, are you willing to help?_"

"What…what do you want me to do?" Sasuke finally asked, his hand balling at his sides as those bloody eyes watched him, scanning lower and lower…his hands seemed to be working their way down too.

"_I want you to tell Naruto the truth, Sasuke…he needs to know the truth about what happened in the past. He won't say it, but I hear it in his head…you need to talk with him, even if he doesn't want to hear it._" Kyuubi was suddenly serious. He let go of Sasuke and allowed him to fall away and get back to his feet as he watched him with powerful eyes.

"But I've already tried," Sasuke sighed, pulling the sheet around him once again. "He won't let me talk about it…he says he doesn't want to."

"_I don't care if he says that, that's not what he means. He's just afraid that Orochimaru is right. He doesn't want to know because he doesn't think it makes any difference, but we both know that the past is the only thing that's stopping Naruto from moving forward._" Kyuubi folded his muscular arms and rested himself back in the bed.

Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his messy hair. A sudden pain shot through him at the thought of it. _The hell is going on here…? What is this? _"How am I supposed to…he…he won't listen to me…he won't let me talk…" Sasuke sighed, tired and agitated there seemed to be a tightness and maybe even the threat of tears in his voice.

"_I'll do all I can, Uchiha,_" Kyuubi stated, caught off guard by the strain and weakness that suddenly shone through in the boy. He would never show Naruto that kind of weakness. "_But I'll expect the same of you_."

Sasuke nodded at once. He had so longed to tell Naruto about what had happened that day. He'd thought about it for so long. He had never really understood why Naruto hadn't wanted an explanation…_It was because he doubted me, he didn't want me to tell him that I had left because I wanted to…he didn't want Orochimaru to be right…how could he think that for one second…_

Sasuke felt his throat go dry. He could have understood it before…but now? _Now after we've met again and still he thinks that…he thinks that I'd left him of my own will_…

Kyuubi watched the youth in contemplation. The pained look upon his face, that look would hurt Naruto a lot, Sasuke looked as lost and confused as Naruto was. Who would have thought that Sasuke had it in him anymore?

Kyuubi's careful eyes fell away for a short moment. Though in the time that it took for him to turn and look back for Sasuke, the dark-haired youth had already headed for the door and was out of the room, holding his pants in hand. Kyuubi raised a blonde eyebrow but could think of nothing more to say and fell silent once again as he allowed the sleeping mind of Naruto to once again reign over the body.

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Sasuke stared hard at his reflection for a little longer. The creature's words were running in circles through his mind, and the throbbing had begun again. The tomoe wasn't hurting as badly as it usually did although he could feel his tired body straining from it.

His black eyes stared back at him from the mirror, hidden by obsidian bangs and eventually a hand as he held his head whilst pressing his back against the cold bathroom door.

_How could Naruto think that…how could he think that Orochimaru was right?_ Honestly Sasuke couldn't understand it. And the very thought of it hurt him so much, he almost couldn't stand it. He didn't even know what he was saying. It only hurt him, and hurt him deeply that old wounds seemed to tare open. He didn't want to believe it. He honestly didn't want to believe it.

He knew that he couldn't blame Naruto. That would be more than wrong of him…but how could he think such a thing? _Does he even know that he's thinking it? _

He didn't want to think about it much more…he would try his best. He had listened well to what that creature had said to him. Kyuubi no Kitsune. That was what he had called himself wasn't it? Sasuke shuddered. This thing had been what had tried to kill him before. It had strangled him in school when he'd confronted Naruto…and yet as he reasoned now - attempting to clear his mind - he sort of realised that maybe that creature really was trying to protect Naruto. Though how could he trust a thing like that?

Sasuke sighed and folded his fingers behind his neck, setting his head back. Opening his eyes he thought about it for a moment longer. _What the hell should I do about this?_ He knew that he still needed to explain to Naruto what had happened all those years ago…he wanted Naruto to know…and he wanted himself to know what Naruto had been through. He needed to talk to someone. And Sasuke so much wanted to be that someone.

Rubbing his tired eyes Sasuke took a deep breath and finally gathered himself together. He would do anything that he could. _Anything and everything_. He wanted to make him feel safe…he didn't want Naruto to doubt him. He wanted only the best for him. He wanted him to finally be safe and away from the Snake.

Sasuke lifted himself from the ground; the mark on his shoulder still throbbed. He ignored it that time; it wasn't as bad as it had been recently and he could deal with it, but there was a shadow of a doubt upon his mind at that time. He couldn't believe how he felt, his body shaking slightly…feeling maybe a little hung over…some events of the night before circling in his mind. Half of them seemed new to him.

He shut his eyes again as he rested back against the door, trying to recall some of the finer moments until this had come along. His heart was beating a little too quickly for his liking, he needed to calm down - think of something else…yet all he could think about was Naruto…and even if the images in his mind made him smirk, they still kept his heart pumping rather quickly.

He took another deep breath, deciding on a glass of water and so went to fetch one from the sink. Yawning, still tired Sasuke stretched his arms above his head and reopened his eyes again once at the mirror.

With broad eyes Sasuke remained still as he stared upon his reflection on the smooth surface. His arms were still poised above his head from as he had yawned…and now in the subtle glow that filled the room from the small window Sasuke felt his heart pounding further. _My…my eyes?_ He remained still a little longer, thinking that maybe it was just the trick of the light. He was tired after all.

Leaning over the sink Sasuke scowled as he attempted to take a closer look. He raised an eyebrow as he drew his hand to his face and took a better look. He must have only been seeing things…that was the only explanation for it…but for a moment or two, his eyes had seemed red.

Sasuke turned around and headed back out. He didn't really feel like that drink so much anymore.

Naruto was fast asleep again when Sasuke appeared back in his room. He gently shut the door behind him and sat down on the side of the bed. Naruto lay down on his front, with his arms tucked beneath him; Sasuke remembered that he had used to sleep like that before. Either like that or rolled up in a neat little ball.

Sasuke couldn't help himself. He leant closer and lay down upon his side, his eyes watching the rise and fall of Naruto's body as he breathed, his lips parted slightly. He reached forward and gently ran his fingers along the curve of Naruto's jaw and ear, feeling the beautiful heat coming from his body.

Naruto's eyes gently fluttered open although Sasuke hadn't intended upon it. Those tired blue eyes looked at Sasuke for a moment as if it hasn't registered where he was or who he was with…though it only took a few moments for a smile to appear upon his face and he began to sit up on one elbow, much as Sasuke was propped up next to him.

"You feeling okay?" Sasuke whispered softly, longing to feel Naruto's hair upon his finger tips again. Naruto made a small muffled sound before he nodded his head sleepily.

"Have you been awake long…?" Naruto spoke equally as quiet as he bought himself to sit up with the sheet wrapped around him to keep him warm.

"No…not too long." Sasuke replied watching Naruto rubbing his tired eyes. "You can go back to sleep if you want?"

"Neah…" Naruto grinned. "I'm good." Naruto looked over Sasuke's solemn form; he always looked so serious, even now. His eyes were looking away momentarily, Naruto realised that Sasuke was thinking…from that look Naruto somehow thought that maybe Sasuke was troubled. "Thinking about something?"

"Many something's…" Sasuke smirked, resting back against the pillows and placing his arms behind his head. Naruto crossed his legs after lifting the sheet to wrap it around his shoulders and dropped down aside Sasuke on the bed. "Are you…okay with this?" Sasuke asked almost suddenly, looking away slightly as he felt heat rising within him.

Naruto looked up at him with wide cerulean eyes. "With this?" Naruto wasn't so sure that he understood what Sasuke was really asking. "You mean with…_us_?"

Sasuke's eyes once again met Naruto's, he could read the sadness within them suddenly and his throat went dry. He hadn't meant to hurt Naruto by saying that. "It's just that…a lot of things are still happening…things still need to happen…I was just worried that this might be too soon…"

Naruto smiled and shifted his body so that he came to lean over Sasuke and brushed those heavy bangs once more away from his face. Sasuke's eyes met with Naruto's, the sadness within them all but vanished. "It's not too soon for anything…" he leant closer, trembling somewhat still slightly nervous as his lips trailed gently above Sasuke's. "If anything…it's probably about time."

Sasuke laughed and gently shoved Naruto away. "You know - I never realised how much of a pervert you could be…"

Naruto grinned broadly, loving the shade of red that Sasuke's face had become. "I guess I never really had much of a chance before." He replied as Sasuke shifted himself on the bed again coming to sit up. "I'm not really perverted though…_am I_?"

"Hell no." Sasuke scoffed. "You're probably the least perverted guy I know!"

Naruto smiled for a short moment, his lips pressed together in quiet contemplation. Sasuke noticed the seriousness on Naruto's face and a small crease formed between his brows at the daunting sight. "Sasuke, could I ask you something weird?"

"Something weird?" Sasuke echoed, and with a shrug agreed. "Go ahead."

"And don't worry…I won't be offended by what you say…I'm just curious." A pause fell between them once again and Sasuke awaited the question. Naruto's eyes met with his, an almost pleading sight that made Sasuke's throat go dry. "Have you…have you always felt this way about me?"

Sasuke took a deep breath and thought about it once more. He knew that this question had been in his mind for a good time now, and yet he hadn't really been able to think about it too much. When they had known each other those years ago they were more or less children…and although Sasuke had felt _something_ for Naruto…he didn't really think that it was that kind of love.

"I loved you." Sasuke replied slowly after a short time of thinking. "But I don't think that I was _in_ love with you…that's just what it became." He looked at Naruto with total sincerity. His lips curled at the sides into a small smirk that was only meant for Naruto. Naruto smiled too.

"I think I was always in love with you." He told Sasuke with almost brutal honesty. But the smile on his suddenly cheerful face softened the blow that maybe shook Sasuke more that it should have. _Why does that make me feel so bad?_

"Was that wrong?" Naruto questioned almost silently.

"What? To be in love?"

"To be _in_ _love with you_."

Sasuke paused again and looked away as Naruto drew the sheet up towards his chin. Sasuke didn't know what to say to that. Love wasn't wrong. Love could never be _wrong_. Could it? _No…not this. We need each other, don't we? We want each other…_

"Naruto." Sasuke said a bit too sternly. "I don't think that love is ever wrong…and we're going to be okay, right? We're going to get all this sorted out…somehow."

Naruto sat up once more and leant into Sasuke so that their torso's touched. Naruto felt almost idiotic…but this - whatever it was that was between Sasuke and him - it was the most real thing that he had ever known or ever felt before in his life. As real as any pain or hurt that he had suffered before in the past. He could forget it all as long as he had something like Sasuke to keep him going, even if a part of him longed for the truth…even if he wanted to the know the cause of the greatest pain he had ever felt. Of the day that Sasuke had left him.

Sasuke's eyes gently closed as Naruto leant upon him, his naked legs covered in the sheet as he almost smoothly straddled Sasuke's thighs, his hand gently rested upon Sasuke's pale torso. Naruto kissed Sasuke again as they had kissed so passionately the first time and the second and every other kiss that night.

There was no argument, no cry for dominance within the kiss, simply compassion and utter devotion. It was almost as though that was all that they needed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

As the sun had begun to rise more officially Sasuke and Naruto headed towards the bathroom, Sasuke turned on the shower for Naruto and went to the doorway to listen around for sounds of life in the house aside from them. It was early and he doubted that Hazuki was out of bed yet…but that maybe Itachi had vanished already…Sasuke could barely keep up with it anymore anyway.

Naruto undressed and slipped into the shower under the warm water and allowed it to sooth his comfortable aches as broad grin once again captured his features. Here he remained alone for a short time, comfortably hidden behind the frosted glass until he heard the door handle turn.

Almost at once his body became stiff and his eyes broad as his ears listened out to the sounds around him. He was almost ready to scream as the he heard clothes fall to the floor. He held his tongue for a moment or so until the shower door slid open and a black pair of eyes gazed at him. Naruto almost slipped back and fell as his face became red with a heated blush as Sasuke stepped into the shower with him, a knowing smirk upon his lips.

Naruto almost choked as Sasuke's arm reached out to grab his wrist to make certain that he didn't fall. "_Sa…Sasuke_!" Naruto gasped in a small whimper as he pulled their bodies together.

"What?" Sasuke shrugged and let go of Naruto's wrist only to hold him closer, although the shower was clearly big enough for the both of them. Naruto felt his face flush once more, doubled from the heat that emitted from Sasuke's wet body as well as from the heated water itself.

"I was bored…" Sasuke sighed. "And I needed a shower too, so why not?"

Naruto looked away for a moment. He should find some kind of sarcastic yet true response, and yet as hard as he thought about it…nothing came to him that could be of any assistance. "Fine…" he sighed. "But don't complain if it's too crowded."

"Ne, Suki-chan, you in there?"

Naruto instantly froze and gripped hard onto Sasuke's strong upper arms in surprise. Sasuke laughed quietly and opened the shower door a bit. "Yeah, I'm in here, Hazuki-chan."

"Oh good! Well since we're all up would you ask Naru-chan if he likes fish? I'm making it for breakfast."

Sasuke looked back to Naruto with a raised eyebrow as his wet hair dropped over his face. "So? Fish?"

Naruto shrugged a little awkwardly and nodded his head. Sasuke turned his head once again towards the small opening and replied. "Yeah, he likes fish."

"Oh…_OH!_ Well in that case - Naru-chan, would you like anything else with your breakfast? I'm going to be mixing some stuff up this morning…"

Sasuke smirked as Naruto flushed. "Um…fish…is fine. Thank-you."

"Okay then! Fish it is!"

"Do you think she -,"

"Yeah. I really think she does." Sasuke smirked as he recalled more and more from the night before, recalling that the both of them had fallen through the living room door as they had entered. Sasuke didn't think that Naruto really remembered. That would probably be for the best.

Right then Sasuke wanted things to go smoothly. Who knew - maybe they could actually get a few things out there, they could go out together somewhere a little more private with fewer distractions.

Naruto allowed his eyes to wander for a moment or two as he allowed the water to run over him, and once again stared down at those many scars that marred Sasuke's inner forearms. There was so many, never in the same place twice. Naruto wondered how he could even feel anymore. Sasuke noticed Naruto's sad eyes and took a step forward; closing the small gap between them as their naked bodies came together, causing Naruto to match eyes with him.

"What do you say that, after breakfast, we go out?"

Naruto smiled somewhat and nodded, though he had a request. "I know this is going to sound stupid…but…can we go to Orochimaru's first…?"

Sasuke felt a stab in his chest but it didn't seem to show. "What for?" he asked. "I'll lend you some more clothes if that's it." He shrugged, allowing his hands to gently move along the smooth curves of Naruto's slick body. Naruto bit his lips at the soothing contact, his eyes gently closing although at the same time attempting to answer the question.

"I…I have medicine that I need to take…that's all." Naruto replied, feeling a strange heat flood his limbs as Sasuke's inquisitive hands snaked smoothly lower and lower.

"Oh…okay then…" Sasuke whispered feeling more than comfortable as he rested his face carefully against Naruto's as his arms wrapped carefully around his neck to bring their bodies eagerly together.

"I'm really happy, Sasuke." Naruto whispered carelessly, the warmth within him shifted and his arms clung firmer onto the object of his affection. "I'm glad that this happened…"

Sasuke nodded, watching over Naruto's shoulder as the water ran down the smooth curve of his back. "Aa…" he smirked. "Same here."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Itachi lowered his coffee to the table as his hand began to tremble, he glanced up through his reading spectacles to see if Hazuki had noticed, but she was busy with something as she usually was and hadn't seen it. He stared down at his hand for a moment longer. It happened less and less now thanks to the new treatment he was receiving, but it still wasn't good. At least his eyesight wasn't worsening.

"Ne, 'Tachi-chan?" Hazuki rolled around on her heel and looked over to her fiancé as his black eyes skimmed the newspaper. He hadn't been to sleep at all that night and it showed, and he was drinking his coffee black, which was never a good sign.

"_Aa?_" his usual response as he glanced up momentarily.

"Why don't you go back up to bed? The boys will be coming down for breakfast soon anyway so they'll probably go out afterwards." She pointed out, a small hidden smile upon her features as she ran through the reasons in her mind why Itachi had been unable to sleep comfortably that night.

"No…I'll be fine." He sighed and picked up the coffee cup again and took a sip. He made a quick note of the time. _7:38._a.m.

"Maybe we should talk though, before the boys come down? Don't you think?" Hazuki reasoned, trying to be at least a little bit more sensible. She took a seat opposite Itachi at the kitchen table and made eye-contact with him as he watched her from over the rise of the newspaper.

"About what?" Itachi quickly shifted his eyes back to the article. "There's nothing to discuss."

"_Oh -_ there's _plenty_ to discuss." She raised her eyebrows and reached forward to lower the top of the newspaper and pull it away from him. Itachi dropped his shoulders and made eye-contact with her again. Those inquisitive hazel eyes never missed a thing.

Itachi blinked.

"A-_ha!_ I knew it…you're annoyed." She pointed a finger at him and sat back in the chair. "I should have known that you would be…but we have to think about this from their perspective."

"From their perspective." Itachi repeated blinking once again. He brought his hands towards him and placed his right hand upon his lap as it began to tremble again; not moving his powerful black eyes away from Hazuki's in order to keep her distracted.

"Yeah, and I'm not stupid, Itachi. I know a lot more than you think. I know that Naruto isn't just anyone. Sasuke…he was the boy that Sasuke always used to get upset over…wasn't he? The reason why he used to get so angry at you…" she had wanted to be more subtle, but after thinking more on it she hadn't been able to think of a simpler way of saying it.

Itachi lowered his eyes. "It's complicated." He informed her.

"Things usually are with you." Hazuki shrugged. "Well anyway, I'm not going to pretend that I know what happened before - because I don't. But I think I know that both of them…little Naru-chan and Suki - are both confused boys who have been through a lot." She paused for a moment. "And they have the same sad eyes as you."

Itachi looked up to meet Hazuki's sympathetic eyes. She got up from her seat and walked around the table towards him. Hazuki took his right hand in hers and placed it calmly upon her swollen abdomen, a little closer to the baby inside.

"I know you, Uchiha Itachi. You try and hide things away from people because you don't want them to get hurt. You would rather people hate you than to tell them the truth and watch them get hurt. You've suffered just as much - _if not more_ - because you carry this huge burden. You need to forgive yourself. You have a loving family who care greatly for you, and soon you're going to be a daddy." She smiled as he came to stand, his hand still upon her abdomen able to feel the tiny movements. "So surely you can understand what those two boys are feeling, and why they are the way they are. I mean, I don't, but because I have faith that you do, I know it's all going to work out for the better, _ne_?"

Itachi leant forward and pressed his forehead against Hazuki's, placing a small passionate kiss upon her delicate pink lips. She smiled and stroked away his long bangs from his eyes and removed his expensive spectacles and placed them aside on the table.

"I don't care if you can't see." She giggled. "You look even sexier without them. And you should wear your hair down more often, makes my friends even more jealous." She winked and pecked him gently on the cheek. Itachi smiled softly as she moved away, and ran his fingers through his long hair. "Right then! Back to cooking!"

Itachi sat himself back down momentarily and took up his spectacles again from the table as he heard voices above as they descended the stairs. He sighed. He knew that he would have to sort this out before Sasuke got hurt again…but it was almost exactly as Hazuki said. He couldn't hurt Sasuke with the truth, not yet…he couldn't do it.

"A little longer…" he whispered solemnly to himself as Sasuke appeared in the living room followed by Naruto a few seconds later.

Sasuke's laughing stopped almost at once as did Naruto's as they noticed that Itachi too was in the room. Sasuke hadn't counted on that. He thought that Itachi would be working today again as he usually did.

"You're home." Sasuke stated as Naruto remained stood behind him, lowering his eyes to meet the ground.

"I don't have work until tonight." Itachi replied, taking up the newspaper and coming to stand. "I'll be spending the day with Hazuki-chan."

"Yup! Yup! I get him all day!" Hazuki grinned evilly as she appeared over Itachi's shoulder. "Now…what should I do _to_ him…? _Kukukukuku_…"

Naruto smiled slightly, though it vanished once he noticed the stoic-ness of Sasuke's face. _He really hates his brother…_Naruto mused to himself. Of course Itachi was hiding things from Sasuke but Sasuke didn't know that, did he?_ No, it can't be that…_

"I would voice my thoughts on the matter, though I think that half of my ideas are illegal in this country." Sasuke mumbled as he headed towards the kitchen as Hazuki moved along to serve out the food.

"So are mine…" Hazuki whispered to herself as she walked passed Itachi and tapped him on the backside. "_Kukukukuku…_"

Itachi's throat went dry as he glanced back and caught her devious smirk as she glanced up at him with narrowed eyes. "Here's the food, boys!" she smiled as she ushered Naruto to take a seat, Sasuke following like a good-boy. "Eat! Eat!"

"I'll be in the study." Itachi stated calmly before he headed off, taking his newspaper with him.

Naruto curiously watched Itachi as he walked away though Sasuke went about inspecting his meal that he would only pick at. Hazuki placed more plates of food upon the table and Naruto's eyes went broad. He'd not seen such an amazing variety in food for as long as he could remember.

"Well then, how does that suite you, boys?" Hazuki chirped as she ran her fingers through Sasuke's still damp bangs, the same thing for Naruto.

"Thank-you," Naruto grinned, Hazuki smiling broader at the sight. A smile on that boys face really looked perfect. She noticed Sasuke's side-wards glance and smirk at the grinning blonde's reaction and she felt a sense of pride and happiness swell up within her.

"You're very welcome! Now dig in! I'm going to go and be Itachi's loving fiancé for a while. If you two go out remember to take a spare key, Suki, just encase your brother and I go out too, okay?" she grinned cocking her head to the side for a moment before she pulled off her apron.

"Yeah sure, no problem. Thanks again, Hazuki." Sasuke nodded as he looked up at her with strangely spirited black eyes.

"See you later, boys!"

Naruto watched Hazuki vanish off into the study and shut the door behind her with a giggle. "She's really nice." Naruto smiled.

"Yeah, she really is. It confuses me though…why she's with Itachi." Sasuke prodded the steamy, well made food with a chopstick and broke apart some fish to put it in his mouth. Naruto glanced at him toying with his own chopsticks between his fingers…sometimes he just couldn't understand Sasuke.

"It's so real though." Naruto said calmly. "It's like…an ideal family. Any family. If anyone I would have someone like Hazuki as my mum even if she is a _little_ eccentric."

"Though you'd have to get it from someone…" Sasuke smiled though felt Naruto's clean chopsticks as they assaulted the side of his head.

A few moments of silence passed between them as the both of them ate quietly before Naruto spoke up again. "This is going to sound stupid…but…sometimes I wonder…if I'm even real."

"You're right…that does sound stupid." Sasuke sighed as he leant back, placing his chopsticks aside as he lifted a small cup of tea to his lips. "Elaborate please."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke's laid back demeanour and gently shook his head before he continued. "It's just that I don't remember ever having a family…like having parents. And I have nothing to prove that I did. It's like I just fell out of the sky…"

"Maybe you did." Sasuke yawned. "Maybe you pissed off God somehow and he kicked you out of Heaven and so you were on your way to Hell and a Shinigami comes along and is like '_Hell no!'_ and kicks your butt up to Earth since they don't want you either. Like an annoying fallen angel." Sasuke grinned.

Naruto laughed playfully as he leant back into his seat. "That was awful." He snickered. "Cheesy and awful."

"Yeah…that's more than obvious. But I had to say something." Sasuke raised his arms in defence before he continued to pick at his meal, Naruto doing the same.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sasuke shrugged further down into his jacket hood as they appeared ahead of the mansion that they now had to enter. Naruto stood through the gate at the head of the drive without hesitation, yet as he paused he glanced back towards Sasuke whose eyes were blank as they looked up at the building.

"You can stay outside if you want." Naruto shrugged. "I'll only be a few moments."

Sasuke steadily looked down upon him and shrugged. "No, it's okay." He took a step closer to Naruto and waited for him to continue onwards which he did momentarily and lead them onto the grounds.

Naruto unlocked the main door and they entered, removing their shoes before they came to the step, Sasuke's eyes went straight to gaze at the building layout. It was almost exactly the same, the shape of it all to the colours. It made his hands ball at his sides and his insides churn almost painfully.

Naruto once again wandered off ahead for a few steps before he noticed that Sasuke wasn't following. Glancing back he was silent for a few moments longer as Sasuke stepped up into the entrance hall and came towards him. "You can come with me if you want or you can just stay here?"

"I…" Sasuke looked from the staircase and to Naruto and attempted to place a false sense of comfort there to stop Naruto from worrying. "I think I'll just wait here…if that's okay…?"

"Yeah…I'll only be a few minutes." Naruto nodded stepping closer to Sasuke he brushed his fingers gently along the back of Sasuke's fist. "We'll go wherever you want afterwards, okay?"

Sasuke lowered his head, his throat was dry and his heart was beating so quickly…_I'm not afraid…I never have been…so why? Why do I feel this way?_

"It's…it's just like all the other houses…" Sasuke whispered his eyes gently shut. Naruto moved closer to Sasuke as guilt swooned in over him, almost smothering him. He should never have asked Sasuke to come, that had been selfish of him.

"He's a creature of habit…" Naruto whispered as he took Sasuke's fists in his hands and placed their foreheads together. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…" Sasuke smiled weakly, comfortable as they stood as they were his hands un-balling and he slipped his fingers around Naruto's with ease. "I'm just an idiot. Go ahead and get your medicine. I'll just hang around here." Carefully he pressed his lips against Naruto's, a small affectionate peck before their hands came apart and Naruto walked away from him towards another room.

Sasuke stood alone for only a few moments before his feet took him towards the staircase.

Upwards he climbed, images of the past flashed ahead of his eyes as he did so, his hand running gently along the banister rail, knowing that this was the house of the Snake. That this was the house that held Naruto captive.

Sasuke didn't think he could hate it more…yet the hate did continue to grow within him, hate that he was so weak. His heart was angry because inside he was so scared. He remembered those moments of pain; he remembered the aches and the tears and cringed as he reached the top of the staircase.

Falling to his knees, Sasuke covered his mouth with his hand, tasting the bile as it collected at the back of his throat…the memories of disgust…of his last few days with the Snake that he had spent unconscious.

His whole body felt disgusted…things that he hadn't thought about for years suddenly came back to scar him. Things that he had never brought into consideration. Only Naruto had mattered…Naruto had been through so much pain…he hated to compare his pain to Naruto's…it seemed so very wrong and too different.

Pulling himself to his feet, Sasuke tried to push away the images of the Snake's cold hands, of his pale flesh and that assaulting tongue…and the voice that made him do things that he didn't want to.

Sasuke stopped again and fell back against one of the walls as he laughed quietly into his hands…he brought his knees up to his chest and stared out through the banister ahead of him that overlooked the climbing staircase.

He felt so foolish, yet he was trembling as the disgust and memories began to flood back to him. He'd never thought that he'd had a problem before…he'd never seen what had happened between him and the Snake as something that could scar him…and yet now he couldn't stop himself from shaking.

Naruto came out into the entrance hall ready to leave, only to find it empty. His eyes went momentarily broad as they searched frantically around, his heart beginning to pound uncontrollably. Though his feet at once carried him to the staircase.

"Sasuke?" he called up as his eyes looked eagerly ahead. He sighed from relief as he saw the crouched figure sat against the wall. He headed towards him, coming to kneel down at his side; Sasuke's head was buried in his arms that were folded upon his knees. "Sasuke…are you okay?"

Almost like a small child Sasuke shook his head. Naruto leant closer into him but didn't want to touch him…not yet. "Come on…lets get away from here…you don't ever have to come back…"

"But…Naruto has to stay here…" Sasuke's voice was quiet; again it held a child-like quality that Naruto was more than worried about.

"I'll come away with you one day soon though…remember?"

Sasuke nodded his head and looked up, his dark eyes scanning ahead of him and meeting Naruto's eyes that instantly calmed him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered.

"Its okay, I shouldn't have asked you to come here…that was selfish of me…"

Sasuke shook his head. "No…" Sasuke began to pull himself up to stand as did Naruto until they were stood eye-to-eye again. "Never mind…lets…lets just leave…"

"Sure…" Naruto put on his usual fake smile as the both of them headed out of that building. Once outside Sasuke stood a few feet away as Naruto locked the door behind him and turned around after the key went into his jacket pocket.

"Where to next?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

DO NOT GET MAD PLIS!! But I'm going to go on Hiatus for a while to give me a chance to catch up with my other fic _Branded_. That one should finish soon, then I can get back to this one.

I hope none of you are too angry at me.

Please R&R for old times sake, ne? XD

Lets talk soon! x x x x SabakuKyuu17x x x x


	14. Chapter 14

It's been a while, hasn't it? I know that I said that I was going on 'hiatus' but you know what, honestly I lost track of what the hell was going on in this story and spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I'd wanted to happen next.

So here it is. I mean I already had plans for it, and I know what's going to happen, but its just that I lost my way! I hope that you're not too angry with me, that would be a little crude since I just spent the best part of two days writing this since I was feeling guilty having forgotten about it – so lots of reviews would be great!! Yes, let's ask for more reviews! Lots of them!

So I hope that you lot enjoy this chapter, even though it's been a while.

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Chapter Fourteen

Naruto wasn't so sure at first, the rising sound of the crowd as they came out of the train station and entered the town began to climb around him and made him feel somewhat insecure, causing his eyes to dart up to Sasuke who stood tall besides him, guiding them through the somewhat busy early crowds. Naruto hadn't expected it of a small town like Konoha.

"It's called Ichiraku," Sasuke said, taking hold of Naruto's hand as the blonde began to fall behind, almost walking into an old lady and knocking her bag of oranges to the ground. "I wanted to bring you here before, a few days ago."

"Ichiraku?" Naruto muttered as if he remembered it somehow and pulled himself closer to Sasuke's side, apologising as he gently knocked a gentleman holding a coffee.

"They specialise in ramen, your favourite, right?" Sasuke looked aside as if to confirm. Naruto smiled.

"I haven't had it in a long time." He said, his face showed a smile of apathy that Sasuke couldn't entirely place. "You don't like ramen, though?"

"No, I don't…not really. But if there's anything you'll eat its ramen. I - personally - am more of a tomato soup person." Sasuke voiced, though inwardly it had honestly sounded better. The restaurant wasn't too far ahead of them now, and soon enough there it was, and at once Sasuke guided Naruto inside so that they sat right at the bar, greeted by an elderly gentleman with a kind smile.

"What can I do you for, boys?" he asked, resting his hands on the bar ahead of him as Naruto's eyes danced over the menu that was on the wall just beyond the man. Sasuke placed his small order before Naruto could even think as to what to have…yet he felt a strange sensation deep within him…honestly it was like he knew that place.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Naruto locked eyes with the old man; his face looked as though he was concentrating, trying to remember. His finger continued to point; Naruto glanced from the man and back to Sasuke who was sipping from a can that one of the other men from beyond the bar had given him.

"I don't think so…" Naruto shrugged.

"OH YES!" the old man clicked his fingers and smiled broadly, giving both boys a reasonably good start. Sasuke nearly choked on his Pepsi. "You look just like that brat Namikaze Minato…you remember Ayame, Kushina's husband?" the old man looked over to the young woman that was stood just behind him. She looked over the old man's shoulder and looked at a slightly frightened Naruto with curious eyes.

"Oh…you're right. He's the exact image of Minato-kun…how odd." She shrugged before going about with her cooking.

"Know him?" the old man said. "I swear you could be his kid brother or something."

"Sorry…I don't know him." Naruto shrugged, gently shaking his head. Sasuke only watched in total bewilderment, the names sounded somehow familiar…though he didn't voice this to Naruto.

"Ah, never mind." The old man shrugged it off. "Haven't seen that kid in years. Wonder what could have happened to him…anyways…what can I get you?"

It didn't take long for the ramen fever to settle comfortably back into Naruto's soul. Three bowls were what he ate, Sasuke glad enough to pay because he loved not only to see that look on Naruto's face, but also it was a comfort to see him eating. Sasuke on the other hand was content with some dumplings and some tomato-juice.

The pleased sensation had continued throughout the day. They'd managed to compose themselves, they'd managed to unwind, so tense that the both of them had been at the beginning of the day. Sasuke had basically spent the whole day introducing Naruto to Konoha, although there wasn't much to show for it, Naruto had enjoyed himself. Spending time with Sasuke was all that he'd wanted so he was entirely content with how the day had unfolded…certainly after the unpleasant episode back at the mansion.

On a bench in a nearby park they sat, Sasuke again with another drink in hand, a bottle of water that time, while Naruto leant forwards on the bench watching the kids playing in the playground a little further away. He watched them playing, chasing each other and laughing and looked back to Sasuke who sat with his arms stretched out along the back of the bench, eyes gently shut as the sun's rays gleamed upon his pale skin.

"Ne, Sasuke,"

"Aa?"

"Did we ever used to play like that?"

Sasuke opened one eye and peered out at Naruto for a moment before looking ahead of him at the playground. He thought on it, but shook his head. "No. We didn't."

"Did you used to? Before you came to Orochimaru?"

The question caused Sasuke to open his eyes, Naruto hadn't meant to startle him, but somehow he didn't like that question. He looked at the playground and tried to think, the memories of his childhood had always been pleasant, but that's what made them so difficult to think about. He'd lost all of that so abruptly that he'd never really had time to think about it…let alone get over it…he'd never thought about it before.

"I did." He replied eventually. "This playground…this park…there used to be more trees. Cherry blossoms that always seemed to be in bloom. Itachi used to bring me here…my mother…" Sasuke paused and lowered his eyes before he shut them again. "My mother used to walk me through here after school. We used to live just a little further east from here."

Naruto looked back before he rested his head upon his hands, his elbows balancing upon his knees. He envied Sasuke's past…but he couldn't let that hurt him…he wouldn't succumb to such a thing.

"I don't remember anything." Naruto eventually said.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing at all…I barely remember meeting Orochimaru…only that it was my life."

Sasuke didn't say anything else, just looked at the back of Naruto's head as he continued to rest forwards on his elbows. The sun brought out the gold of Naruto's hair, the pallid yet olive tone to his skin…he looked happy on the outside, yet Sasuke wondered if Naruto could ever truly be happy.

"Sasuke?" Naruto began again with a questioning tone.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"…what happens after…?"

"After?"

"Mhm…like…if I do manage to get away…what happens after?"

Naruto's face was entirely solemn, sad even, though Sasuke could not see it. Sasuke's face was the same, yet his eyes were sympathetic and warm. He reached out his hand and placed it on Naruto's shoulder, squeezing it as a sign of re-assurance.

"_When_ you get away…we can do anything we want."

"I don't know what I want."

Sasuke's lips curled into a smirk. "No one ever does. I sure as hell don't…but that's the whole thing about life, right? It takes you where it wants. It doesn't really have anything to do with you."

"Is that really what you think?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose…if I'd had the choice…if I'd had the decision…" he stopped and noticed as Naruto's head turned away slightly. "I'm sorry…"

"No, you're right…" Naruto eventually replied. "I…I'd like to think that it had nothing to do with me…what happened…but…I can't help but feel that somehow…I'm partly to blame for everything…"

Sasuke lowered his arms and sat up straight on the bench, he felt sorrow grip at him…he knew exactly what Naruto was referring too…he felt the guilt swell up in him again like a bitter poison. "Maybe…maybe if I'd been stronger, you know? Maybe if I'd just thought about it…but I can't even remember what compelled me…I guess I just wanted a family. Someone to go home to."

"I can understand that." Sasuke replied, his throat felt dry, he didn't feel comfortable, yet maybe he could start getting out what he needed to now…tell Naruto what he needed to go since he was talking about the past. Sasuke wondered how far he could push it before Naruto noticed what he was attempting to do.

Naruto glanced to Sasuke's face and smiled. "Another one of the things that we have in common."

"We have plenty of those." Sasuke smirked, leaning back again, taking a drink of his water before he offered it to Naruto who declined.

"I guess we both still have our secrets, right, Sasuke." Naruto sighed, resting his head in his hands as he smiled feebly up at the Uchiha. Sasuke nodded his head, his brows raised before looking ahead of him again over the park. It was peaceful there…very peaceful and soothing.

"I don't really think they're secrets," Sasuke finally voiced. "I just think that they're things that are yet to be said. We both know that there's something there, but we keep silent…we don't know what it is that we want to hear…neither of us want to be hurt in that way again. So sometimes its better just to keep silent…but sometimes it's the silence that speaks more than the spoken word. Not knowing can lead us towards thinking the worst…and I'm a very negative person, so you can imagine how bad that can get with me."

Naruto listened carefully to Sasuke's words…he could understand what Sasuke was hinting at, but he was so frightened of knowing the truth…was it because he thought that Orochimaru was right about Sasuke? Or was it that he just didn't want to remember it…? That he didn't want to remember the pain that he felt that night…how he'd felt so abandoned and betrayed.

He sat back and rested against Sasuke who promptly clutched onto his hand and gently squeezed it in a reassuring manner. Naruto squeezed back, his eyes were somewhere far away, gazing beyond them and up at the skies and the sun and felt the strangely warm breeze against his face and throat. He noticed that Sasuke had his eyes shut and was sat almost in the same way, his bangs blown away from his face, just how Naruto liked it…he found it strange how Sasuke tried to hide his face behind those heavy bangs…Naruto couldn't think as to what he would want to hide…_maybe he's afraid that someone will read his heart through his eyes…_ Naruto mused quietly, rubbing the back of Sasuke's palm with his thumb.

After allowing the silence to flow for what seemed like a long while, Sasuke finally opened his eyes, only to find that there were several pairs of eyes grinning down at him and Naruto.

Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin causing Naruto to jump and bring him out of his day dream to find three of their classmates stood ahead of them - no, there were four, including Hinata, hidden slightly behind Kiba.

"About time, you two are lookin' awful cosy." Kiba smirked, earning a swift glare from Sasuke as Naruto swallowed hard, taking the bottle of water and a deep breath. Sasuke rolled his eyes and rested back against the bench looking up at them carelessly.

"Can we help you?" Sasuke stated, matching eyes with the others, Shino and Chouji as they stood either side of Kiba and Hinata who still somewhat cowered behind them.

"Actually, its more like can _we_ help _you_." Kiba sniggered.

"That's what I said." Sasuke raised an eyebrow and stopped Kiba's chortling almost at once.

"What Kiba means is that we have something to give to you that may bode well come school Monday." Shino voiced as Hinata appeared once again from behind Kiba, avoiding eyes - especially Naruto's - and handed over a small paper bag that Sasuke took from her and looked inside to find a small memory card.

"I don't follow."

"You are aware - are you not - that Tenten took it upon herself to catch you two in action at the gig last night." Shino voiced again. Naruto's face twisted in embarrassment. He'd not even thought about that!

"Oh yeah, so she did. The memory card is from her camera? How'd you get it?" Sasuke seemed amused as he slipped the small package into his pants pocket and glanced at the blushing Naruto before his eyes moved towards the four, as Kiba offered him the story.

"Truth is - as Hinata put it - Neji's pissed off with Tenten and doesn't want to have to see that kind of thing all over the school for weeks on end. Also he said - Naruto is a new student here and we don't want to draw too much attention to him it may make him uncomfortable. So he swiped it from Tenten's camera while she was sleeping and passed it onto Hinata this morning so that we could give it to you." Kiba seemed pleased with himself having said it. "We were going to drop it off on our way to Shikamaru's. But you're here, so job done."

Sasuke laughed softly, his lips curled into a smirk and he nodded his head. "Doesn't sound like Neji…but there's a reason why he's the head of the student council…he's probably just thinking about how this will affect his position." Sasuke reached for the bottle of water and took down a swig as Naruto glanced up at them. "Thanks,"

"No worries," Kiba smirked, only then did Sasuke notice that Akamaru was with them too - his sheer size impeccable - and was running towards them down the path after noticing that they were about to leave. "See you, Sasuke, Naruto."

"Bye," Naruto managed to voice, his eyes wide as he watched the large dog suddenly run passed and Sasuke got onto his feet.

"Come on, let's go back to my house and check out the photos." Sasuke's smirk was devious as he looked down at Naruto with a wink. Naruto felt his stomach churn but stood up none the less and picking up the plastic bag with the water and other various things in, followed Sasuke towards the train station.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Sasuke's laugh was dark as he flicked through the pictures on the laptop, Naruto busying himself with hiding his beet red face in the pillows as he sat behind Sasuke on the bed. Sasuke's amused eyes caused Naruto some caution, yet he didn't say anything, but began to retort as he realised that Sasuke was starting to print out a few of the photographs.

"Hey! No! What are you doing?!" Naruto launched for the print out in Sasuke's hand and fell promptly to the ground in a heap as Sasuke lifted it out of arms reach. Naruto's embarrassed face looked up, red as anything as Sasuke glanced downwards at him, yet his face was almost unreadable. "Sasuke..." Naruto drawled.

"Oh come on," Sasuke replied as Naruto heaved himself back onto his feet. "Look how hot we are together." Sasuke chuckled darkly as he knelt down ahead of Naruto and flashed the picture ahead of his face. Naruto sunk back into himself again.

"Can't you just delete them?" Naruto whined.

Sasuke sighed and put the photograph up on the wall next to his bed with evil still glimmering in his eyes. "I will." He said. "_Eventually_. Besides, not all of them on that memory card are of us." Sasuke dropped down onto the bed and pulled Naruto up to sit between his legs, placing his lips to his ear. "But there are lots of nice ones from us at the back of the car..." Sasuke whispered, Naruto's eyes were wide as he pulled himself away and looked down at Sasuke unable to say anything.

"Yes, I'll delete them." Sasuke sighed at Naruto's eyes and reached down for his laptop. "There, gone!" he said as he'd pressed the _delete_ button.

"You sure?"

"Well yeah aside from that one," he indicated to the one that he had on the wall behind him. "But I'm keeping that."

"Fine, but that's the only one." Naruto retorted, and glanced back at it feeling slightly uneasy, his face was still red as Sasuke leant into him once again, and placed his hands either side of his face as if to stare deeply into his eyes. "What...are you doing?"

"Looking at you." Sasuke replied. He'd never felt so happy before, he was sure of it. "I'm still finding it hard to believe that it's really you."

Naruto lowered his eyes to look away, but Sasuke did not take his hands away, but instead moved their faces closer. Naruto shut his eyes gently as Sasuke's lips pressed against his own. It was gentle but passionate, Naruto felt his heart pounding in his chest regardless...Sasuke was the only person that he'd ever loved and he hoped that this would remain at such at least...it had been so hard to hate him...Naruto held onto Sasuke weakly, clutching the front of his shirt in his hand as they both moved closer together, Sasuke pressing the kiss further. Naruto was far from protesting.

Sasuke pressed Naruto against the side of the bed, owning the kiss as he'd deepened it, Naruto shuffling his weight back slightly until there was nowhere else for him to go. Sasuke's hand moved from the side of Naruto's face, moving down to Naruto's throat and his kisses followed, pressing gently against the skin, over taken by a sudden bout of déjà-vu. Naruto knew these kisses...these were Sasuke's kisses, the ones that he'd give him whenever he wasn't feeling well. Butterfly kisses. They made Naruto's stomach clench and his heart throb.

The kiss Sasuke graced his lips with again drove Naruto into passion as he went ahead and deepened it, causing Sasuke to lurch back slightly as arms took hold of him with more confidence, and he felt Naruto's body move into his almost suggestively. Sasuke opened his eyes for a moment, but shut them again, moving his fingers beneath Naruto's shirt, able to feel the heat of his body beneath his fingertips, the rise and the fall of his heavy chest and the thundering of his heart, Sasuke felt some kind of deep anticipation within him, managing to gain control once again from Naruto – who didn't seem to know what he was doing – and pressed against him as he lay him down on the ground next to the bed.

Sasuke reached out and shoved the laptop out of the way; Naruto's hands gripped the back of his neck and held him tight, moaning quietly into Sasuke's mouth at the feel of his wondering fingertips along his body. Naruto felt those fingers move further down until they reached the brim of his pants, fumbling with the belt as they drove their kisses deeper, Sasuke's tongue ran in circles down his throat, kissing him softly from throat to his collar bone before moving back up to Naruto's mouth again, feeling relief and need as the buckle finally came undone and Sasuke's hand slipped lower. Another moan broke from Naruto's mouth, his arms wrapped tightly around Sasuke's neck, pulling him closer as his heart beat like a drum in his head...this was all that he wanted. He wanted Sasuke, every single inch of him...and to be wanted back.

Sasuke was at least glad that the both of them were sober this time. They knew what they were doing, they weren't playing around. Sasuke wasn't sure if he even knew how to play around...Sasuke allowed his hand to snake lower, hearing no rejection from Naruto, falling in love with the small sounds that he made, both of their faces already red. Yet at Sasuke's hand finally found the brim of Naruto's boxers, a shrill ring suddenly tore through the room, blinking Sasuke found Naruto's lips tear away from his and a hand shoved him away causing him to fall backwards onto his backside.

Naruto's eyes were broad as he listened to the shrill ringing of the cell phone that was hidden somewhere in one of the pockets of the jacket he'd brought. He took a deep breath as he pulled it out of the pocket, trying to calm his heavy breathing and the flush of heat as it passed like a shudder throughout his body, and he opened the phone to answer the call.

"Hello?"

Sasuke sat himself up, rubbing his sore face after Naruto had shoved him and watched Naruto as he sat on his knees with the phone to his ear, his face void of anything other than fear. It was as though nothing had happened between them.

Naruto listened to the amused voice on the other side of the phone, the small chuckle and his heart lurched in his chest, of course he knew who it was...no one else would call him. "_How are things, Naruto-kun? Have you been taking your medicine like a good boy?"_

"I have," Naruto replied simply with a nod of the head. Sasuke watched him with empty eyes, the fear in Naruto's eyes flickered briefly like cat's eyes in the dark...it was there one second then everything was void again. As if there was nothing in there at all.

"_Good boy, Naruto-kun. Is everything else okay? Have you had a chance to see the town?"_

"I...I went out for a walk after school yesterday." Naruto replied, he couldn't lie straight up, Orochimaru would know.

"_That's good to know, Naruto-kun. I just called to check up on you, nothing is wrong, I take it?"_

"No...everything is fine."

"_Good, that's what I like to hear. I'll call you again soon, Naruto-kun."_

Naruto heard the phone go dead on the other end, but he held the phone to his ear still. Sasuke remained sat to his right, unspeaking, unmoving, just staring. It was like being torn out of a dream. Eventually Naruto shut the cell and lowered it to his side. Sasuke moved into him and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into his embrace that Naruto greeted almost eagerly.

The knock on his bedroom door brought their attention to the voice that passed through the wood. Sasuke grimaced at the sound of Itachi's voice but they were both attentive to his words. "Hazuki has left some food for you two in the oven. We're going out."

Although they weren't hungry, they felt that the change of scenery did them some good, and sitting in the kitchen looking at the food that Hazuki had left for them made them feel slightly more at ease. Naruto shuffled uneasily in his seat as Sasuke waited by the microwave for the spring rolls to warm up, he fancied them just then and went for the soy sauce in one of the cupboards as Naruto just slurped at some green tea.

"So, that certainly killed the mood," Sasuke remarked, though he'd meant it to lighten the atmosphere he found that it had only weighed it down further, the echo of the radio that had been left on in a distant room found its way into the kitchen, and Sasuke lifted his head slightly at the reminder of the music. It was an old song, Itachi sometimes listened to some strange radio stations that played music from the seventies and eighties, but it was still a song that Sasuke remembered. The sense of nostalgia washed over him, and he felt powerless to it as the words began to form upon his lips.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke as he rested with his arms crossed against one of the counters, swaying slightly as his lips moved, mimicking the words of the song that passed through the rooms...a song that Naruto didn't know. He watched Sasuke a little longer, he didn't seem to realise that he was doing it, but Naruto felt a little glad of it, and smiled. It was nice to see Sasuke relaxed like that.

Naruto lifted the chopsticks that Sasuke had placed out ahead of him and began to pick at the miso soup and rice that had been set out before him. He smiled softly to himself at the way that the food set comfortably in his stomach for once. He looked at Sasuke briefly who had moved to get the spring rolls from the microwave and approached him again with a slightly excited grin to his face. He shrugged as he looked at Naruto.

"What can I say? I love them." He replied honestly. And with the soy at hand he began to pick at the food with his fingers.

Conversation built itself up from there, some more talk rose of the photographs and Naruto's cheeks reddened a little bit more as he began to recall what they'd been interrupted during. He sighed and bit his inner lip as Sasuke introduced him to the radio and shut it off, that was when Sasuke explained to Naruto that he remembered the song because his mother used to sing it.

"I remember when I was small, mum would stand in the kitchen, washing the dishes and she'd sing with the radio turned up on the table behind her. Her hips would swing from side to side, it was always like there was no one else there to watch her...but you know there usually was. Itachi and I...we thought it was amusing, until she tried to make us join in." Sasuke laughed and dropped his head back onto the back of the couch as he'd dropped down. Naruto looked down at him with a smile on his lips, looking with clear blue eyes, his hands resting in his pockets. "Mum was eccentric, and I remember my dad being a pretty stubborn ass, you know, like me. But she always managed to get him to dance with her. You know...I totally forgot about that until just now."

"That's really cute," Naruto laughed and dropped down next to Sasuke with more boldness than usual and nodded his head. "Do you remember much else about your parents?"

"Little bits really." Sasuke replied. "I know I was like eight when they died...so I should remember some...but most of it was just small things like the places we used to go...the school...the park...mum's dancing. The way that dad would read the news paper first thing in the morning, like before he did anything else. He had to read his articles before he would take us to school. We never really had any family vacations, dad was really busy all of the time, mum worked too, but from home so she was around a lot of the time."

"Your mum sounds great." Naruto sighed and rested against the back of the couch with Sasuke's arm behind his neck. Sasuke nodded.

"She was. She was really great. I remember being angry with my dad a lot though. Even at that age. I remember that he was...never really satisfied with me. I always felt like I wasn't good enough, that he compared me with my aniki all the time, which he did you know – and he wasn't shy about it either." Sasuke laughed softly, but he didn't really feel as though he wanted too, so he took a deep breath and turned his body to face Naruto's, he caught Naruto off guard. "Isn't it depressing?" he asked.

"Isn't what depressing?" Naruto asked.

"The way that I talk." Sasuke sighed again and turned aside until he could look directly into Naruto's eyes, feeling his fingers through his hair. "Forget I said anything..." Sasuke lowered his eyes and realised that he didn't know what he was talking about, but that for one reason or another he felt depression creep over him.

"Are you alright?" Naruto followed Sasuke's eyes and matched his eyes again. Sasuke felt awful, he looked at Naruto had he wanted to be strong for him but he found that he couldn't just then, what had happened only an hour or so ago...and the fact that Orochimaru was so close really only just hit him just then, and the memories of his parents brought it all tumbling down.

His shoulder began to ache.

"I'm fine. I've been better," he confessed. "But I'm fine."

...........................................................................................

Although against Naruto's best interests – and of course Sasuke's too – Naruto returned to the mansion that night, Sasuke dropped him off and promised that he would see him soon, and reminded him that he always had his number if he needed to call him. Naruto stood in the doorway and watched as Sasuke walked away back down the street and felt a part of himself seep deeply, dropping into a lower part of himself, he was able to feel his hands go cold.

Sasuke's form was soon gone and Naruto let himself into the cold mansion and spared no time in locking the door and went straight to take a shower, he found that the scars on his wrists that night were so much worse than before. Everything that Sasuke had said to him that day...he'd enjoyed himself so much, so much more than he ever could have thought possible, and yet as he remembered all of the things that Sasuke had told him about his parents. Naruto felt guilty...guilty that he was angry...that he was jealous.

He wished...he wished that he could remember anything...something about his childhood, but there was just nothing, even the years of his time at the children's home he barely remembered. He sat down in the shower and tried to calm himself, he felt swallowed, cold although the heat of the water made his skin pink. His brows furrowed and he felt so angry, he couldn't believe that he could behave like that...so angry at himself for being this way.

Naruto took a deep breath and put his back against the shower wall, and thought momentarily about Sasuke...about everything...about things that caused him great pain whenever he thought about Sasuke, and about the past. He looked at the scars again and his brows furrowed, Orochimaru's words were just like venom.

_**Why don't you just ask him?**_

"I can't." Naruto felt his throat tighten.

_**Are you scared that Sasuke will tell you what you don't want to hear?**_

Naruto brought his hands to his ears and brought his knees to his chest, his eyes clenched shut. "I can't...I can't..."

_**So you're happy thinking that Orochimaru is right? You're happy thinking that Sasuke abandoned you? Why? Why are you so scared? **_

"Stop it..."

_**He's just going to carry on wearing you down. You're lucky he's gone this week, Naru, make the most of it! Ask Sasuke! Ask him to tell you the truth, to tell you what happened.**_

"I don't want to remember...! Stop! Stop it!"

_**The pain won't go away!**_

"Stop it!" Naruto cried, the shower around him trembled, and with a fist he slammed it into the white tiles behind him, and they cracked against the pressure. The voice of the Kyuubi fell silent. Naruto's body trembled and he pulled his arms around him again although it was bleeding from the collision with the wall. His head was throbbing...and he felt as though his throat was going to close up.

Memories of that night were some of the most painful. He wanted to forget the past, forget what had happened and know only the future, the sense of looking forwards to life rather than drowning in the horrors of the past that all too often caused him to withdraw, his body becoming almost paralysed. But could he honestly live out the rest of his life thinking that Sasuke had abandoned him all those years ago just like Orochimaru had told him?

Did he want to think that? He knew only that he was so frightened...so fearful of that night, terrified to think back upon it, only to remember such pain and fear and the realisation of such hell and loneliness, unable to think of anything else other than the cold metal of a table and a needle and the pain that he thought would continue forever.

Naruto lifted his head and rested it against the tiled wall. Was he really so very afraid to know? Was he so uncertain...that he actually believed Orochimaru? He didn't want to believe it, but all the years that had plagued him he could only believe that Sasuke had abandoned him there, had left him and gone although he'd promised countless times that he would _never_ leave him alone to suffer. There were plenty of nights when Naruto remembered hating Sasuke...hating him so much because had been so stupid, stupid enough to believe that he wouldn't leave him behind. He scolded himself, he never thought that he would be able to live without him and he continued to exist, as a body and a broken mind. Sasuke to Naruto was the idea of freedom...and the one thing that Naruto had ever really loved.

The one thing that had held Naruto together. He hated Sasuke for leaving...and maybe he just wanted to carry on hating Sasuke for leaving because hating him had given Naruto a kind of strength...and maybe Naruto would hate the truth just as much.

...............................................................................................

Sasuke found it difficult to sleep that night. He lay on his back, the sheets were cool on his naked skin and as he starred up at the ceiling the only thing he felt was misery and guilt. He felt trapped. He wondered...wondered if he and Naruto could just run away...but he realised that if they ran away then they would be running away forever. There would be no end to it, and there would never be a release for them.

He remembered the broken promise that he'd made to Naruto all those years ago, and he remembered what Naruto's alter-ego had said to him...that Naruto needed to know the truth, probably to be able to let go of the past. Sasuke wanted to tell him, but he felt awful enough about it...and although he knew that what Orochimaru had told Naruto was wrong, he would _never_ have abandoned Naruto, he felt a little betrayed himself, that Naruto for even a second would ever believe Orochimaru over him. But then he realised...that all things considered...he probably would have done the same thing if it had been Naruto that had left him there.

"Left him there..." Sasuke sighed and with his right hand he reached over and felt the marking on his left shoulder and squeezed, it was beginning to ache again like it had those few days before. He felt angry and depressed and guilty. He was torn and hot and cold all at once and there seemed to him as though maybe there really wouldn't be any way out of it. He didn't know if Naruto would be okay...he didn't know if they would be able to get away from Orochimaru...Sasuke was confused about he had managed it, but he reasoned on that for a while and figured that Orochimaru had probably been searching for a way to get rid of him for a while.

Sasuke furrowed his brows and sat up, looking down at his hands. He was a failed experiment, wasn't he? Orochimaru had said that to him before...and Kyuubi had told him that he was dangerous. Sasuke balled his hands and thought a little more on that...and the mark on his shoulder...and tried to remember. He hadn't really tried to remember the things that had been done to him by Orochimaru...although there had been plenty of times when he had been asked to tell people about it, that it would help, most of the time even thinking about it had caused him to become violent, depressed, and in many cases violent.

His stomach sank as he tried again for the first time in so long to remember some of the past, able to feel a pressure behind his eyes and in his temple. He put his hands down at his sides and had to shut his eyes, having swallowed thickly. He brought his knees to his chest, his hands to his face as his toes fisted and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

Remembering the feel of the Snake's fingers, his tongue against his flesh, nails and needles, blindfolds and stabbing pains, blood and sweat and tears. Hot and cold. Sasuke's fingers dug into his arms, and his breath was caught in his throat, he felt as though his head was about to explode and the scars on his arms began to thud as though calling for him to null the tension and pain that was building up inside of him. Sasuke shook his head, held onto himself harder, tighter and tried to block out the memories, and found himself on the floor.

He took a deep breath and released his arms from his tight hold and tried to pull himself out of the hole that he'd begun to bury himself in. He took slow breathes, calming himself and fell onto his knees weakly, dropping himself against the ground as though in a bow, his forehead against the floor.

Sasuke's eyes only lifted from the ground at the sound of his cell phone ringing. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning. He looked at it; it was on the floor, only a few feet away beneath a few items of clothing...and on the screen was Naruto's name. Sasuke did not hesitate to pick it up and at once brought it to his ear.

"Naruto?"

There was silence from the other end...but it was not entirely silence, Sasuke would have said Naruto's name again only that he felt a pang of guilt at the tight sound of Naruto's almost invisible sobs.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, his voice soft as he rested back against his bed, his momentary lapse into his painful memories forgotten.

"_I...I want to believe Sasuke...I want to know...Sasuke...you didn't leave me..._"

Sasuke was frozen only for a moment, his body tensed and his brows furrowed as fear coiled in his stomach at the words that he'd heard between the sobs.

"Are you still at the manor? I'm coming to you – stay where you are."

"_I'm...I'm outside."_

Sasuke's eyes went wide as he jumped onto his feet and leapt over his bed to pull the blinds apart and look down at the front of the house. His eyes soon focused on Naruto squat against one of the walls, shrugged into the rise of his coat.

"I'm coming out."

Naruto pull the cell phone back into his pocket, his whole body was trembling, aching as he pulled onto the front of his jacket nervously, his eyes were tired, he couldn't think straight and still argued about whether he should be there or not...but he needed it...he needed to know what had happened...only minutes past, they were short but they seemed too long, and Naruto's eyes glanced up at Sasuke as he appeared in the doorway, pulling on a hoody over a naked torso and slipping into his unlaced shoes.

Sasuke looked at Naruto with worried eyes, he was nervous, his throat dry. He remained still as he looked him in the eyes, Naruto's face was red, he looked as though he had been crying. Sasuke placed his hands in his pockets and lowered his eyes, awkwardness hung in the air like an unwelcome stench.

"Let's go for a walk."

Naruto nodded in agreement and Sasuke came to stand next to him, but ended up walking slightly ahead of Naruto as they headed out into the street.

Naruto watched Sasuke's back ahead of him for what felt like ages, all of his worst memories of Sasuke were of watching him walk away, the shape of his back, the broadness of his shoulders the way his hair was slightly spiked and created an odd shape to his befitting silhouette...all things that had haunted him in those years of desolation.

Naruto took a deep breath, and swallowed...his hand – unbeknownst to him – reached out and clung onto the back of Sasuke's hoody, and made him feel slightly at ease, in any of his worst nightmares his hand usually went through Sasuke and he's carry on walking, always at the same speed, but would continue to get further and further away, no matter how hard Naruto ran to catch up with him or called his name.

Sasuke stopped and glanced over his shoulder and realised that Naruto was staring down at the ground, his body was trembling. Sasuke reached for him and took him into his embrace that at first Naruto hesitant to accept.

"I'll tell you everything." Sasuke whispered...to him the events of that day were clear enough, though they were not complicated, but they had shaped so much of their life that there seemed that there would be no escape for them because of it. Naruto had felt abandoned, Naruto had probably hated him for leaving, and he couldn't blame him...but he needed Naruto to know that, he needed Naruto to know the truth behind it, even though there was a possibility that it wouldn't make anything any better.

Naruto placed his face against Sasuke's torso and nodded. He looked through eyes filled with tears, his chest was tight but he knew, he knew that he wanted to believe Sasuke, but it was so difficult to believe that he had brought himself to survive by hating Sasuke after having loved him so much.

"Come on, we'll go and sit down somewhere."

The walk back to the park was a refreshing one, they walked side by side, and found the bench that they had been sitting on earlier that day and Sasuke took a seat; Naruto did too eventually, and sat next to him with a weak demeanour, almost pulled back into himself. The dark park around them was calm, only a few of the lights were working, but there was enough around them to allow Naruto's hair to gleam.

Sasuke looked at Naruto and brought his hands out from his pockets and flexed his fingers, he hadn't realised that he'd been clenching them so tight until just then.

"Somehow..." Naruto began, his voice trembling. "Somehow...Orochimaru knew...that you wouldn't be coming back. I didn't understand it...and I _hoped_...I hoped that he was lying...but there was a feeling...deep in my gut that was telling me that this time...he wasn't lying." Naruto paused for a moment and lowered his head further, saying these things pained him, he didn't want to remember that night. "How did he know?"

Sasuke's brows were furrowed. He stared out at the open ground of the park and shook his head. He had no idea...he shook his head and sought the answers in his mind...and all he could think about was Itachi.

"Aniki...never told me everything." Sasuke replied. "But somehow I knew...I knew that he was up to no good. He never explained anything clear enough to me, told me that he couldn't explain, that I wouldn't understand, but somehow he knew about Orochimaru's plans...that he was going to move us again."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with surprise, his blue eyes wide. "Itachi," Naruto said the name quietly. So he had something to do with it...Naruto already knew that he had, but at the same time he hadn't realised anything more...Itachi had secrets that he still hadn't shared with Naruto...he wasn't the only one that had been left in the dark.

"That night...those few days, you were sick. You were feeling sick, in school...Kabuto came and took you back to the house...on the walk back, I was confronted by Itachi although I'd thought he was dead. He wanted to take me with him." Sasuke placed his hands together; remembering the confrontation like it happened only a few hours ago, he remembered the strange man stood in the distance and the way that Itachi had been so cold. "He gave me until the end of the week...because I told him. I won't leave without you."

Naruto looked ahead of him again...and he remembered nothing of this...Sasuke hadn't told him. He looked at Sasuke with his brows furrowed and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"I wanted to tell you, Naruto, that I had seen my brother that he wanted to get us out of there...but you were so unwell that it didn't look like you'd be going anywhere anytime soon. So I didn't tell you, because unless you were going to come with me, then I wasn't going to go anywhere, I didn't want you to feel pressured, because I thought that no matter what, we would get out of there somehow...someday." Sasuke's fists were balled, and the flare of hatred that he usually felt for his brother was suddenly that extra bit powerful. He heaved a deep breath, his brows were furrowed and he tilted his head back as he tried to calm himself, his shoulder began to ache.

Naruto's face remained horrified...his stomach was tight and he couldn't speak. Had he really been so close to getting out of that place. Had Itachi really been there and known where they were? Naruto's brows furrowed and he could barely believe it, his hands trembled and he thought only for a few minutes about how close he'd been to getting out of that place before he couldn't comprehend it anymore.

"I went to school that day knowing that I would have to tell Itachi that I wasn't going with him, I remember feeling that I had let you down but somehow I would make it right again...that as long as you didn't know about Itachi having been there, then you wouldn't feel like you'd lost that chance...I never wanted to leave without you."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with tears rimming his eyes, he saw Sasuke's hands were trembling with anger and he thought only for a few more minutes about what he was saying entitled...what it all meant. He had so many questions about Itachi, but he supposed that Sasuke probably did to.

"He took you anyway..." Naruto said, he didn't need Sasuke to explain it any further, it was obvious enough from then on that Itachi had taken Sasuke anyway. Somehow he felt relieved, but also hew felt that he meant absolutely nothing. He looked at Sasuke with careful eyes and thought a little longer, was this why Sasuke hated his brother so much?

"I promise, Naruto, I never wanted to leave without you. And I never would have. I can't forgive my brother for what he did...after I woke up, I just knew it. I knew what he'd done and I hated him, I hated him from the very moment that I saw his face...and I haven't been able to rest easy...because no matter how hard I tried, and no matter how many people tried to convince me otherwise, I felt that I had left you to suffer, and felt that it would never be right if I didn't suffer too." Sasuke allowed his trembling hands to un-ball and looked down at the crescent marks in his palms. "It wasn't fair...it wouldn't be fair if you had to carry on living like that, and I couldn't forget about you, night after night, day after day...I wouldn't let myself forget about you, because remembering your pain was part of the punishment." Sasuke's dark eyes remained sincere, his brow was smooth again, but the anguish had not left his stare, he looked down at his hands with half-lidded eyes and the guilt that had smothered him for so long still did so, but actually speaking it aloud for a change...it made him feel as though he'd done something he never thought he would.

Naruto didn't know what to say...but he believed Sasuke. He believed every word that he said because he knew that Sasuke had suffered too, that was clear enough. Maybe all along he'd thought that he'd been angry at Sasuke, but he probably should have been angry with Itachi...but at the same time he couldn't help but feel thankful, Sasuke had been taken from him and hadn't run away...but Naruto found that he was guilty and angry too.

Naruto felt a little better, and Kyuubi was at ease...Naruto felt that now he knew, he could move on. He reached over and he took hold of Sasuke, wrapping his arms around his neck, holding onto him, Sasuke turned at him and was surprised, but he accepted the embrace, and reached for him too. "I'm sorry Naruto."

"No...it's okay," Naruto smiled. "It's okay." He didn't know why he said it or even what it was supposed to mean, but he felt better although at the same time he felt worse. He held onto Sasuke with less restraint than before and made certain not to let him go, it wasn't long before Sasuke became submissive and wrapped his arms tighter around Naruto's back. "Thank-you for telling me..." Naruto whispered. "I'm sorry that I could have ever doubted you."

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Sasuke looked out at the world below, the windows were barred. His stomach was weak as were his knees, it had taken great courage for him to walk into that place and up the stairs, but with Naruto at his side he remained resolute, he would not allow a building to defeat him after all these years. Naruto appeared behind him and Sasuke saw his reflection in the blackened window. He turned around as Naruto put the tray down on the desk and offered him one of the drinks of hot tea.

"Thanks," Sasuke took the warm cup from Naruto's hands and looked him in the eyes as he sat himself down at the foot of Naruto's bed. Naruto nodded and sat down next to him at the foot of the bed, Naruto felt somewhat relaxed to have Sasuke sitting next to him, it felt a little like he had never even left, that they'd been there together always. Naruto watched Sasuke as he brought the cup to his lips and drank down some of it, Naruto felt a small warmth in him, and he smiled again.

Naruto reached up and his fingers ran through his hair and down the back of his neck. Sasuke glanced back slightly and brought the cup away from his lips and watched with fascination and anticipation as Naruto reached over and took it from him, placing it aside once more. Once it was settled again on the tray he smiled and reached for Sasuke's hooded sweater and pulled it from over his head to expose the alabaster skin of a slim torso and abdomen that in its owners haste hadn't been covered. Sasuke smirked as he realised what it was that was Naruto's aim, and pulled his legs up onto the bed, allowing his body to act as it willed as he knew that Naruto wanted to continue what they'd started earlier.

Sasuke didn't argue, and Naruto he allowed to take charge this time, falling onto his back and putting out his arms to accept Naruto, pressing their lips together, kissing him attentively, sucking at his throat with his fingers running through his hair and pressing his body against his. Naruto wrapped his legs around Sasuke's pelvis, pulled off his own shirt and wanted to get closer and closer to him, his kisses deepened and he rocked his body against his, tasting him more and more, gasping and groaning.

Sasuke's fingers pulled on Naruto's pants, feeling eager and hot as his sweatpants and boxers slid down over his hips and Naruto reached down to help him with the belt buckle. Sasuke opened his eyes to pull down his own pants the rest of the way, he met Naruto's glazed blue eyes, and reached up to his face and took it in his hands and pressed their lips together hungrily, longing for the pain to go away.

Sasuke rolled them around, he forced Naruto onto his back and his lips pressed against Naruto's throat, kissing, licking and sucking at his adam's apple, leaning into him, and reaching down into the opening of Naruto's pants, only to feel the hot living organ between his legs harden. Naruto groaned harder, his fingers fisted Sasuke's hair and he arched into him, grinding their hips together attentively.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, groaned at the fell of Sasuke's fingers touching him in all the right places and longed for it not to end...Sasuke felt heat run down his back, and as he tasted Naruto he thought that the blood that pumped through him would cause him to explode, though he hoped it would be in ecstasy, rather than in pain.

He gasped at first; Sasuke jolted backwards and upright, Naruto dazed and shocked beneath him, looking up at him, gasping and panting, only to have Sasuke's face become riddled with pain as he cried out, falling backwards off the bed, rolling into a ball with fingernails gripping onto the marking on his left shoulder in total agony. Naruto jumped up onto his knees, his face filled with terror as he rushed down to Sasuke's side, watching in horror as he scraped at his shoulder, he cried out in pain, his eyes shut tight.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried, but no matter how he reached for Sasuke, tried to calm him down, he only continued to writhe in agony on the ground, it was as though Sasuke couldn't hear a thing that he was saying, just looked out at the inside of his eyelids, his head spinning and dazed and he felt stabbing and aching run through his shoulder and spine and all the way down his back and shooting into his skull. "Sasuke..." Naruto reached out for him again, reached out to steady him, as tears ran down his face, Sasuke only seemed to be getting worse. "Sasuke...please..." he wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could, tried to hold onto him, but Sasuke cried out again and his body rocked too and froe and there seemed no stopping it.

Naruto's heart plummeted into the unknown regions of his body and his mind was ablaze with total unbridled fear as he heard the door open behind him and a voice laughed, a voice that he only ever really heard at the worst of times, beneath Sasuke's groaning and wailing.

"Well then, I wondered when I would see you again."

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Can't promise when I'll update next, but I might get in with the flow and update in the next few weeks. Sorry for any typos.

R&R for old time's sake, and who knows I might update faster!


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